More and more businesses are implementing cost saving, environmentally friendly recycling and waste reduction programs. Here are a few companies in Cuyahoga County and around the country, who are leading the way.

Waste=Revenue Business Paradigm

Local manufacturers and service-based companies gathered at Entrepreneurs for Sustainbility (E4S) in March to discuss how to use waste as a business opportunity. While many new terms were used like “Waste = Revenue”, “Industrial Symbiosis”, and “Close the Loop Recycling”, local companies are really capitalizing on the old adage: a ton saved is a ton earned.

“Conventional economics was take-make-waste,” says E4S founder Holly Harlan. “Originally we thought of waste as a cost, now we see waste is a second product.”

Mark Schwerdtfeger with the local soap dispenser maker GoJo, explained how he closed the loop and saved a bundle in waste disposal fees by asking neighbor Little Tykes if they could use GoJo’s shrink wrap and plastic waste as a feedstock for toy production. It turns out they could. Now, 100 playgrounds a year are made from grinding down GoJo’s plastic waste. Other recycling initiatives include repackaging excess soap for the Akron-Canton Foodbank as a $200,000 charitable donation.

Schwerdtfeger brought the same energy to Heinz where he convinced executives to stop spraying food coloring in sauce production runs. This made it possible to get FDA approval to donate the overrun of sauce to local pig farmers, instead of pouring it down the drain saving Heinz $300,000. That same $300,000 would take $3 million in sales to clear on the bottom line.

E4S shared lessons from a study to close a loop at the Cleveland Water Department. How to turn tons of waste clay—the suspended silt in the water pumped from Lake Erie – into a usable product? Kurtz Bros. declared that it’s already inquired with the Sewer District about buying some clay as a soil additive. A connection made.

At the workshop, Karen Wan of the Chicago Waste to Profit Network shared some of the 80
waste=revenue case studies she helped develop. One was a glass manufacturer who sends its waste glass to a counter top manufacturer to be made into counter products. “We need to build a regional industrial ecosystem between small and mid-sized industry like they have in Denmark,” Wan said. “We’re part of the Green Jobs economy. The Chicago Waste to Revenue Network was the first in the country to set goals and track metrics—they had 40 companies participating, and hit their goal of 22,000 tons of waste diverted from the landfill in 2008. Not only did the group calculate the savings—$6 million—they also found a 1:1 correlation between a ton of solid waste diverted and a ton of CO2 emissions averted.

For more information on the Zero Waste Network, visit http://www.zerowasteneo.org.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo made some major green by recycling. The zoo generated $12,860 in 2008 by recycling more than 140 tons of materials ranging from cell phones to phonebooks.  Recycled material included cardboard, paper, aluminum cans and all other metals, plastic bottles and plastics 1-5 including shrink wrap, fluorescent bulbs, electronic waste including toner cartridges and batteries, tires, and, of course, compost.

In 2008, the zoo also started using a solar-powered golf cart to carry materials and instituted a policy to greatly reduce vehicle traffic inside the zoo.

The zoo encourages visitors to recycle select materials on their own, including paper, inkjet and toner cartridges, cell phones and the small, screw-in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) that can be used to replace traditional incandescent bulbs. It is important to recycle these CFLs properly because they contain mercury and cannot be thrown out in the regular trash.

Working with the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, from June through September, phonebooks can also be recycled at the zoo, in special “phone book recycling” containers.

Each year, the public has the opportunity to order ZooPoo Compost -- made from recycled animal manure and bedding materials - in March and April.

To learn more about the zoo's recycling program, visit clemetzoo.com or call 216-661-6500.

Progressive Field The Cleveland Indians

In 2008, Progressive Field launched an aggressive waste reduction and recycling effort, resulting in 120 fewer garbage pulls and a total reduction in waste from 1261 tons in 2007 to 923 in 2008.  In addition, as of September, 2008, the Indians had recycled over 113 tons of cardboard, mixed paper, newspaper, plastic, aluminum, steel and other scrap metal.  The Indians saved money on the waste avoidance and also made money from the sale of recyclable commodities.  

The ballpark did not hide its sustainability efforts.  In addition to placing numerous recycling bins throughout the ball park, the Indians helped educate fans.  Scoreboard announcements showing Indians players hitting plastic bottles into the appropriate recycling bin helped spread word.  In addition, a solar array on the south side of the ballpark demonstrates the viability of solar power in Northeast Ohio.    The Indians Green Team also guides and educates fans about how they can participate in the Indians’ efforts.

Progressive Field's commitment to recycling goes beyond just Indians games.  The 100+ year round employees now have access to cardboard, paper, can and bottle recycling for their daily work.  Employee education has been successful through bin labeling, emails, and hr boards.  In addition, Progressive Field has provided numerous lunch and learn seminars for employees to learn about specific things they can do to recycle more and help the environment. 

While the District is excited about hundreds of new businesses recycling this year in Cuyahoga County, we feel that Progressive Field's ability to leverage the sustainability message to hundreds of thousands of fans catapults this business to the top of the list.

Congratulations!

Recycling and Zero Waste Initiatives

Long known as a cool Ohio City restaurant, the Great Lakes Brewery is also a leader in waste reduction and recycling.  Check out this list of just some of the sustainability initiatives at GLBC:

• Alternative Fuels: GLBC operates a beer delivery truck and a shuttle bus called "The Fatty Wagon" that runs on straight restaurant vegetable oil. Results show that engines running on straight vegetable oil produce 40% less soot than diesel and are 25% cleaner. If not used as fuel, this vegetable oil would have to be picked up by a cooking oil recycler.
• Brewery Grain & Breads: Zoss the Swiss Baker produces the cracked barley beer bread and pretzels found on the menu using grains from the brewing process.
• Recycling: GLBC recycles cardboard, glass, plastic, steel/aluminum, paper and brewer’s barley to reduce trash removal fees by over 50%. GLBC prints newsletters, menus, beverage napkins and promotional items on 100% recycled paper. In addition, all packaging (i.e., 4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs and the unbleached "eco-carton", which holds a case of beer) consists of recycled content.
• Vermicomposting: GLBC uses vermicomposting to produce natural fertilizer. A portion of paper, kitchen scraps, grain and cardboard is fed to worms, which then produce castings - top-of-the-line organic fertilizer - used to fertilize the herbs and vegetables found on the menu.
• Energy Efficiency: GLBC has a cooling system in the Brewery cooler that brings in cold air during winter months to cool the beer. Skylights and light sensors have been installed in the Tank Farm and Brewery cooler to allow in natural light and minimize the use of electricity. An "air curtain" is in place in the Brewpub to keep warm air from escaping when patrons enter and exit.
• Low-Fill Beer: To minimize the waste of throwing away "low-fill beers" (bottles of beer that cannot go to retail because they are not filled to the maximum level), GLBC uses the beer in a number of menu items, including salad dressings and the Stilton Cheddar Cheese Soup. Mitchell's Ice Cream also uses the GLBC Porter in the exclusive Edmund Fitzgerald Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream.
• Beer Garden Enclosure: GLBC introduced its newly renovated Beer Garden complete with a retractable "Roman Curtain" roof. The Roman Curtain is a durable canvas roof that encloses the current open-air Beer Garden, which allows use of this indoor/outdoor dining area all year. The Beer Garden also includes a radiant heat fireplace and floor, a straw bale wall and 10 ft. high sliding glass doors.

Zero Landfill

In 2005, a survey of several area interior design firms in NE Ohio determined that a typical staff library amasses up to 100 pounds of obsolete evaluation samples and numerous three ring binders over the course of 90 days. A solution to this buildup of goods was field tested in 2006 as 30 architectural and interior design firms (roughly 15% of the total specifier market in NE Ohio) claimed their place in the local sustainability economy by participating in the inaugural ZeroLandfill Celebration held September 1, 2024 in downtown Cleveland.  An estimated 6,000 pounds of fiber based materials, 800 pounds of stone based samples, and 400+ three ring binders were collected from the participants. Local artists were then invited to claim items from the collection process and box after box of upholstery samples, brick, glass, metal pieces, and wall covering books were diverted and used for new works of art.

Over 400 3-ring vinyl binders were collected and donated to local school programs for student and faculty use. Stone, tile, and aggregate items remained a part of the local economy by recycling them into Rosby Resource Recovery’s material collection process.  Carpet, wall covering, and upholstery samples were returned to Interface Flor Commercial in Atlanta, GA where they were repurposed into new carpet backing or used for waste to energy generation for the production plant. Remaining miscellaneous items (plastics 1-7, bound material, paper) were sorted and diverted from the solid waste stream through the City of Cleveland’s Recycling program and Abitibi Consolidated’s Paper Retriever system.

The overall objective of ZeroLandfill originally tested in 2005 and then implemented in 2006 and 2007 remains intact with the most recent ZeroLandfill experience concluded in 2008: divert unwanted specification samples from the solid waste stream and repurpose them for the benefit of the community.

Five ZeroLandfill projects are planned across Ohio for 2009.  Collaboration and celebration will remain the hallmark of this grassroots effort as it achieves scale across the United States. For project updates, visit the ZeroLandfill project website by clicking www.zerolandfill.net.

Taylor

TOWARD ZERO WASTE IN BEDFORD, OH

Since 1960, the amount of waste generated in the United States has nearly tripled. Consequently, our society as a whole must think proactively about reducing our impact on landfills.  At its Bedford, Ohio facility, Taylor redirected nearly all of its manufacturing waste away from landfills.  Recycling, “upcycling” and composting conserves natural resources, reduces the need for landfilling and prevents pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin materials.

With the assistance of recycling consultants, Taylor redirected well over 90% of the waste generated at its Bedford, Ohio facility.  All sawdust and wood scraps are composted locally.  Leather scraps are sold to an outside vendor where they are “upcycled” to make wallets and purses.  All cardboard, post-consumer plastic, paper and aluminum cans are recycled.  Even excess COM’s (customers’ own material) are used for inner-backing materials in the production of Taylor seating.

Taylor’s zero waste manufacturing strategy supports all three generally accepted goals of sustainability - economic well being, environmental protection and social well being.  Taylor is committed to developing innovative ways to identify, prevent and reduce wastes of all kinds.

For more information, please see www.thetaylorcompanies.com or call 1.888.75TAYLOR

Goodyear

In 2008 Goodyear made headlines by announcing it was reaching its zero-waste-to-landfill goals at 57 or 58 facilities around the globe. “It was a big step,” says Jeff Sussman, environmental team leader for the Akron-based company’s North American tire division.  When the goal was first announced internally in July 2006, “we still had millions and millions of pounds of materials that we were landfilling.”

To monitor its waste streams, Goodyear officials videotaped trash as waste-management contractors carried it away. Then, after identifying what was heading off to landfills, the trash was almost eliminated (although some items, such as asbestos and sludge from wastewater-treatment plants, are still being responsibly discarded) by doing everything from replacing paper towels with hand dryers in restrooms to sending substandard tires to concrete manufacturers where they are burned in kilns. These tires, Sussman says, actually burn cleaner than coal in a 3,000 degree cement kiln outfitted with the proper pollution-control devices.

Tires can also be burned to produce energy, known as ‘Tire Derived Fuel’ or ‘TDF.’ According to the EPA, results from a dedicated tires-to-energy (100% TDF) facility indicate that it is possible to have emissions much lower than produced by existing solid-fuel-fired boilers (on a heat input basis), when properly designed and the facility is controlled.

Recycling in Cleveland Limos

Stephen Qua, president of Company Car and Limousine in Cleveland, has greened everything he can in his company.  “We have to find green things that we can do and then participate in emerging technologies as they come on board.”
Qua started by placing cards in the back of his limos asking people to leave their plastic water bottles behind for recycling.  In the first two days of the program, he filled a 55-gallon drum with bottles that would have previously gone into a landfill. 

From there, he took the program to his office, setting the thermostat at 72 instead of 67 in the summer, recycling, installing fluorescent lights and e-mailing confirmations rather than faxing them.

On the road, he implemented a no-idle policy, insisting the chauffeurs shut down the car while waiting for customers and promoting 'right sizing vehicles,' so he sends an eight-passenger van to pick up six people, instead of two sedans.

But two initiatives have jump-started his company on a road few have taken so far.  The first is converting a town car to a gas-propane hybrid.  “The vehicle will burn on American-made propane, which burns almost carbon-free, instead of imported gasoline,” he explains.

He plans to run the car about 25,000 miles before deciding if he should change other cars over.
Finally, he partnered with an Indiana dairy farm that has developed energy from burning cow manure that turns a turbine to create power.  Participating in a voluntary carbon-off-setting program is viewed as a costly intangible for many businesses. 

“Until one of the automobile manufacturers builds a zero-carbon-emitting machine, we have to do something,” Qua says.  “If every American said, ‘I’m buying my power in a green fashion,’ it would become a nonintangible real fast, because we’d see coal production go down.  I want to be the economic stimulus.”
There are over 14,000 limousine companies operating over 130,000 vehicles across North America. Company Car and Limousine is taking a leading role in doing its part – and spreading the word.
(Excerpts from Inside Business, August, 2008)

Recycling at a large arts institution: San Francisco

The San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center is one of the world’s largest performing arts centers in the nation. The complex is comprised of three buildings and includes three major performance venues in addition to rehearsal and backstage facilities, offices, meeting rooms and restaurants.

Key stakeholders from the many and diverse entities involved in the complex were included in the planning for the recycling program. A comprehensive list of containers needed was developed and sourced from a commercial vendor in addition to containers provided by the San Francisco Department of Environment. These included new collection equipment for use by in-house and contracted custodial staff. Educational materials included a printed piece with program details and additional resources; container labels including ‘trash only’ labels for additional waste containers; advance flyers to publicize the program; and a PowerPoint training program.

The program roll-out took place over a four-day period in February 2004. The roll-out included trainings for custodians and generators, as well as one-on-one training in each area as containers were placed.

Follow-up visits following the roll-out showed excellent participation throughout the complex, and a marked increase in recyclables collected. The complex has been able to reduce trash service levels as a result, saving money.

A plan was developed for the public areas including a container type approved by the key stakeholders, quantities, placement and budget. The consultant team and leadership at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center feel strongly that it is important to complete the public area recycling at this high-profile venue.

Thanks in no small part to the help and enthusiasm of staff throughout the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center complex, the recycling program has been successfully incorporated into day-to-day activities. As with any program it is critical that managers continue to monitor, reinforce, and trouble-shoot, and we have assurances from key staff in each area that this will happen. The ongoing assistance of San Francisco Department of Environment staff will also be helpful to these managers.

EZBrite Toward Zero Waste

Imagine a manufacturing facility without the traditional trash dumpster on its loading dock. It must be a tiny operation, right? Wrong. It is EZ Brite Brands, a Westlake, OH manufacturer of environmentally friendly specialty soaps and cleaning products that is fast approaching $1,000,000 in annual sales. In the sustainability community, sometimes we overlook the “reducing” and “reusing” parts of the recycling pyramid. Not EZ Brite. Reducing, reusing and recycling has helped the company achieve Zero Waste!

EZ Brite President , Ed Aghajanian, is a green entrepreneur with a vision. “Why would I waste anything?” he says, “You wouldn’t believe what our commercial neighbors throw out.” 

Many of the shelves in his plant were assembled from building materials left over from a closet installation business next door. Bases for the company’s mixing equipment were assembled from polyethylene salvaged from a local cutting board manufacturer. Buying used blending tanks and hoses saved over $12,000.    

Aghajanian’s commitment is to find a home for all his “wastes”. Packing popcorn and boxes from incoming shipments are reused or donated to a nonprofit food redistribution center. Employee gardeners take home coffee grinds for composting. Office paper and beverage containers are recycled. Steel and plastic drums are reused for shipping or returned to distributors to be reused. All pallets are reused or recycled for mulch. 

Operating a zero waste facility means you can’t hide mistakes in the dumpster. The occasional off-spec soap products are donated or given to a local landscaper for power washing decks.  “The key is to find an alternative use,” according to Aghajanian. EZ Brite’s commitment to zero waste extends beyond manufacturing to its packaging. All products are sold in recyclable and refillable packaging. Selling refillable packages builds customer loyalty and reduces waste. 

All businesses could benefit from EZ Brite’s money-saving waste elimination, practices. It is time we all cleaned up our act.

EZ Brite products and production methods have always had a ‘green focus,’ but few consumers cared until recently, says Aghajanian. “Now many are working towards becoming green. We’re thrilled they are catching on.  It has always been important to us.”  EZ Brite is growing quickly and currently has 11 full time and part time employees. For more information see www.ezbritebrands.com.

Recycling at Costco

Each Costco warehouse generates tons of waste each week, in the form of cardboard, plastic, unusable produce and more. Much of this waste is kept out of local landfills through a variety of efforts.

All cardboard and plastic wrap is baled in the warehouses and recycled. In 2008, that will total 240,000 tons of material.  Recyclable paper and plastic are sold as commodities. Keeping them out of landfills makes smart business sense, according to Todd Fitzgerald, Costco corporate recycling and waste-reduction specialist.

Another big source of waste is produce—as much as 1.5 tons a week per warehouse. Costco is testing programs in several buildings to keep produce out of landfills by paying composting companies to pick it up for a rate lower than what garbage companies charge. For example, in Palm Springs, California, two warehouses are sending unwanted produce to a worm farm, where it is composted into mulch.

The trimmings from meat and grease from Costco’s rotisserie chickens are also reusable. These trimmings have traditionally gone to rendering companies to be made into animal feed and other products. Now, biofuel producers in some regions have started buying the trimmings to be made into fuel.

Costco is also examining its products with an eye to reducing packaging waste. For example, buyers are working with suppliers to replace non-recyclable PVC clamshell packages with recyclable packaging like paperboard and PET plastic for everything from cosmetics to calculators. In many cases, products and their packages can be designed to be greener. Costco now sells square plastic milk bottle. These 224 gallon-size bottles can now fit on a pallet, compared to 210 round bottles. This larger pallet count saves 521 truck trips to the warehouses per year, eliminating fuel usage and reducing emissions. The same approach is being applied to dozens of products, from laundry detergent to nuts. 

NYC’s Hearst Tower, Toward Zero-Waste

In 2008, Hearst Tower in New York City became one of the first buildings of its size to implement a “target zero-waste” policy. In combination with Hearst’s aggressive recycling program, organic waste from the building’s kitchens is collected and shipped to a composting site. This will divert 95% of all kitchen waste from landfills. Each month, Hearst Tower recycles an average of 50 tons of paper. Hearst donates obsolete IT equipment to various charities, schools or other non-profit organizations. Unusable equipment is sent to certified recycler sites for environmentally safe disposal.

Hearst Tower is the most environmentally friendly office tower in New York City history. 85% of the Tower’s original six-story structure was recycled for future use. Hearst Tower’s innovative diagrid system eliminated the need for approximately 2,000 tons of steel, a 20% saving over a typical office building. Over 90% of its structural steel contains recycled material.