Recycle Springfield! - Local Businesses Helping Local Businesses Be Green
The negative impact of not recycling a large amount of our commercial waste is significant because even in Central Illinois there are limited places to bury our trash, and when we don’t recycle, a lot of otherwise valuable material is being thrown away.
A classic example is the “energy savings” we throw away by not recycling aluminum cans. The energy input of producing a ton of aluminum is 96 percent lower when recycled aluminum is used. This is due to the elimination of the mining and smelting process required for virgin aluminum. This phenomena is repeated with varying ratios and savings for cardboard, plastic, paper, and other recyclables.
Solution - Recycle Springfield!
Green Business Network of Springfield (GBNS) has started to recruit a diverse group of small- to medium-size businesses and not-for-profits that currently do NOT have recycling into a network that is willing to address this issue head-on.
This network is achieving what individual firms cannot: cost-effective recycling that benefits both the individual business and the community, funded solely through the salvage value of the materials collected.
The linchpin to the operation has been the location of a locally based partner willing to not charge for the collection of the recyclable
material.
That business partner is Durr, Tillet and Kobylarz, Inc. (DTK). Currently DTK is accepting: cardboard, dry cell batteries, plastic bottles and containers, plastic bags, and plastic shipping materials. DTK has partnered with SPARC for local labor and does all processing locally.
GBNS named this project Recycle Springfield and DTK has set up a central drop-off for businesses and concerned citizens to bring their recyclables.
The drop-off is located at the old Sid & Son Metal Recycling Facility at the corner of 11th and Madison. DTK is also working with Downtown Springfield, Inc. (DSI) to position free dumpsters to serve DSI members. As they contact GBNS, other businesses with sizable volumes of recyclables will be enrolled in Recycle Springfield and will receive free recycling.
Once all costs are covered, DTK has committed to dedicating 25% of Recycle Springfield profits into more types of free commercial recycling.
For a complete list of items currently accepted by DTK,
click here [updated 4.3.2012].
For businesses wanting more information, call Mike Durr or Bill Mills at 836-5000.
To help increase the volume of materials recycled here in the Springfield area, Recycle Springfield is offering a fundraising opportunity to interested not-for-profits that want to conduct recycling drives. Learn more about our Recycle Springfield fundraiser program by clicking here.