Paper, cardboard, cans and bottles — Oklahoma State wants it all.

OSU continues to make recycling a priority, as the university recycled more than 490 tons of cardboard, paper, plastic bottles and aluminum cans last year alone.

The OSU Recycles program made that achievement possible.

OSU Recycles is responsible for handling the recyclable materials generated on the main campus.

OSU has been recycling paper and cardboard since 2009, and its recycled cans and bottles since 2010. The university began officially marketing the program in 2013.

The marketing coordinator for Residential Life said there is one key distinction to keep in mind when recycling. Two separate entities handle recyclables on campus, meaning not all containers accept the same materials.

The OSU Recycles program processes material produced at non-residential areas on campus, including the bins around campus that call for separated materials.

The second program, Res Life Recycles, is run by a separate entity, which processes recyclables from students living in residential housing.

It’s important for students, faculty and staff to know the distinction because of the difference in how the material is sorted.

When disposing of recyclables on non-residential areas of campus, it’s essential that people take care to throw their materials in the corresponding recycling containers. But for students in residential areas, they’re free to dispose of all their recyclables in a single container.

Many tons of recyclable materials pass through these OSU recycling programs every year. In fact, 218 tons of cardboard alone passes through OSU Recycles annually.

Once the recyclables are packaged, OSU sells the cardboard and paper to the highest bidder, and they ship the cans and bottles to a facility in Oklahoma City.

The revenue made from those sales is used to continue funding the OSU Recycles program.

For more information on a recycling program and the right recycling containers for college campuses, contact the Fibrex Group.

ocolly.com

An energy-efficient home does more than slash one homeowner’s heating and cooling bills. It can also contribute to job creation, better health and safety, and cleaner air.

Three recent studies highlight the importance of energy efficiency in housing, and point to how little of it exists, especially in affordable price ranges. While the studies examined the use of energy efficiency in affordable housing, their findings could apply to mainstream home building as well.

The price tag

Habitat for Humanity’s ‘2015 Shelter Report’ offers some ideas for boosting the use of energy efficiency in home building, and many of them involve financing and government regulations.

The 44-page report says low-income families could benefit the most from living in homes with lower energy bills, but notes that those households are the least likely to be able to afford the upgrades their homes or apartments need to make them more efficient.

Low-income Americans, the report says, spend between 17% and 50% of their incomes on energy, while everyone else spends an average of 4%. That’s because many poorer renters and owners live in older homes with too little insulation, old appliances, and outdated HVAC systems.

Even tenants who could afford to upgrade their drafty, single-pane windows to double-pane models or replace a decades-old air conditioner with a more efficient new device might not find the investment worth it in homes they don’t own. And their landlords have little incentive to improve the property’s efficiency because the tenants are paying the energy bills.

The study pointed to the need for a national energy-awareness campaign that would target distressed communities. Its authors also support government financing for energy efficiency and advocate for programs that target multifamily and public housing “for big returns from investments in energy efficiency.”

The Recycling Solution

Recycling is always a key task in maintaining a sustainable household. Check out the Fibrex Group  for our line of household and office recycling bins. All of our recyclers contain the maximum possible recycled content, are ergonomically designed and will fit in with your home’s décor beautifully. Just a small solution that leads to big results. Give us a call at 1.800.346.4458 to get pricing on all of our #green products.

Portions by Sharon O'Malley - Construction Dive

Mars Foods North America announced that its 10 manufacturing facilities across the U.S. are all certified landfill-free. The company created its waste goals in 2007 and set out to become zero waste by 2015. Mars also intends to eliminate the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions from its direct operations by 2040.

The company highlighted three areas vital in achieving its goal: establish an efficient operating process, implement recycling programs for multiple waste streams, and create partnerships with haulers and agricultural re-use programs at a local level.

Mars has aimed to achieve LEED Gold certification for all its new major buildings since 2011, and so far 10 buildings have succeeded. Mars is also aiming for a future partnership with regional distribution centers and warehouses to continue improving their waste reduction policies.

Mars Foods has just purchased the Fibrex Group’s Mobius DS3 & DS4  recycle bins for use in their facilities. The Mobius Designer Series combines recycling and high-end design at an affordable price. The innovative Mobius recycling station comes standard with one, two, three or four compartments featuring molded drop-in openings for collecting bottles & cans, paper products and trash. Each compartment holds up to 25 gallons and is fitted with a rigid plastic liner. These new indoor recycling stations are available in an unlimited combination of colors and finishes, and are perfect for even the most discriminate of locations.

*Some info provided by Waste Dive, Nicole Wrona

Congratulations to the Finalists for the 20th Annual Recycling Awards! The MassRecycle Board of Directors reviewed all submitted nominations and selected the finalists. It was not easy! Some categories were differentiated by mere fractions of a point! All the nominees should be proud of their work and try again next year.

But now it is YOUR turn to vote and select the winners for the 20th Annual Recycling Awards! Be sure to tell your friends and associates to vote and also visit their Facebook page for additional chances to vote!

The Fibrex Group, Inc. is proud to supply our recycling receptacles to various municipalities in the state of Massachusetts, including Harvard University. Check out our latest unit the Revolve Dual Stream  which houses 35, 65 & 95 gallon carts in an attractive housing. This is a perfect unit for outdoor areas, downtown cityscapes, campuses, stadiums and virtually anywhere that carts are being utilized. Give us a call at 1-800-346-4458 to see what we can do for you!

*Info sourced from the MassRecycle website

Fibrex Group has introduced the Revolve dual-stream recycling container, a housing for wheeled collection carts that fits a variety of cart designs. The product holds two 95-gal. wheeled carts and can be fitted with Enevo smart-bin sensor technology.

The recycling/waste/compost container is made of rust-resistant galvannealed steel and has no exposed fasteners. All units come with an architectural-grade powder-coated finish both inside and out.

On the front are two large spring-hinged drop-in openings fitted with an interior chute to guide the recyclables into the carts. Two universally keyed front doors lock for security and open all the way for easy emptying. Custom, easy-to-read pre-applied vinyl or magnetic decals on the front of the unit indicate the desired waste/recycling stream.

The container can be shipped unassembled to reduce freight and is designed to be assembled easily with standard tools. Fully assembled shipping and installation also are available. The product contains 30 percent minimum recycled content. Each unit measures 67 in. long by 38 in. wide by 61 in. tall and weighs 300 lbs. without interior carts. Custom designer colors and signage are available.

For more information, contact the Fibrex Group.

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