Recyclonomics SC

1www.RecyclonomicsSC.com

Supporting the recycling industry in S.C. | 2012

Goal of zeroCompanies cut waste

sent to landfill

Smart jobsRecycling means paychecks

Matches madeTurning trash to treasure

Sponsored by In Partnership With

®

http://www.vlsrecovery.com

http://www.sonoco.com

http://www.recyclingsc.com

http://www.usfibers.com

www.newcarolina.org

2 www.RecyclonomicsSC.com

www.vlsrecovery.com Georgia South Carolina Tennessee Texas 229.796.0082 864.962.9953 931.379.9642 936.372.0464

VLS’s 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Industrial Recovery Facility is a one-of-a-

kind industrial waste processing center providing the industry’s most affordable

solution to zero land�ll compliance.

With VLS Single Stream Management, every ounce of your company’s industrial

waste can be conveniently collected, processed, and recycled in complete EPA compliance, ensuring that all materials are handled responsibly with the environment

in mind.

For all the places you live, work, and play...VLS takes responsibility to collect,

recycle, and protect.

Is Your Company Seeking An

Affordable Solution To Zero

Landfill Compliance?Is Your Company Seeking An

Affordable Solution To Zero

Landfill Compliance?

yR

It Takes Responsibility

It Takes Responsibility


www.RecyclonomicsSC.com 3

4 About this publication

5 About our Sponsors

6 Welcome from our partners

8 Upfront

12 smart Jobs Recycling means paychecks in S.C.

18 smart Entrepreneurs Recycling startups grow economic

footprint while treading lightly on

environment

21 smart Web Your recycling guide online

22 smart Collaboration Turning waste into treasure

22 Profiles: Special Advertising Section

40 smart Thinking ‘Good to be part of the solution’

44 smart Resources • Recycling Market Development

Advisory Council

• S.C. Recycling Council

• Recycling Businesses in S.C.

• Other resources

46 smart Product

cover Story

New goal: Zero waste to landfill

34

Contents

Recycling is smart for reasons both

economic and environmental. With

that thought in mind, some of S.C.’s

largest companies have cut their waste

sent to landfills to zero. Read about

how they did it.

Cover and Table of Contents Photos/Sonoco Recycling/by Jeff Blake


President and Group Publisher | Grady Johnson [email protected]

Vice President of Sales | Steve Fields [email protected]

Accounting Department | Vickie Deadmon [email protected]

Managing Editor | Andy Owens [email protected]

Senior Copy Editor | Beverly Barfield [email protected]

Special Projects Editor | Licia Jackson [email protected]

Staff Photographer | Leslie [email protected]

Contributing Photographer | Jeff Blake

Contributing Writers Mary Jane Benston, Holly Fisher, Ross Norton

Creative Director | Ryan [email protected]

Senior Graphic Designer | Jane Mattingly [email protected]

Graphic Designer | Jean [email protected]

Director of Business Development | Mark [email protected]

Account Executive | Reneé [email protected]

Circulation and Event Manager | Kathy [email protected]

Circulation, Event and Business CoordinatorKim [email protected]

The entire contents of this publication are copyright by SC Business Publications LLC with all rights reserved. Any reproduction or use of the content within this publication without permission is prohibited. SCBIZ and South Caro-lina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Mailing address: 389 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 200 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464Phone: 843.849.3100 • Fax: 843.849.3122www.scbiznews.com

SC Business Publications LLC A portfolio company of Virginia Capital Partners LLCFrederick L. Russell Jr., Chairman

Corporate & CommercialPublishing Division

About this Publication

When we started creating the inaugural issue of RecyclonomicsSC, we assessed the project from creation-to-delivery to find the most environmentally friendly way to produce a publication focused on

how to be more green. We quickly realized the breadth of what businesses must consider when focusing on the impact of business on the environment. We also learned that once you start making deci-sions with sustainability in mind, you often find more options for other environmentally sound choices.

The most obvious place to start in the print industry is with the paper. We worked closely with our printer, Walton Press, and decided on a paper stock that was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. FSC promotes environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically prosperous management of the world’s forests. Paper producers and printers go through a certification process to ensure they adhere to FSC

standards. Walton Press and the stock provider, Suzano Pulp and Paper, are both FSC certified. The paper stock you’re reading this on comes from eucalyptus seedlings, one of the fastest growing hardwoods in the world, so it’s more quickly replaced, and the forests are more easily managed.

We also used soy-based ink instead of petroleum-based ink. The printing process is cold set, instead of heat set, which means ink dries using less energy. That allowed us to use an uncoated paper, which takes less energy to produce and can be recycled more easily.

We hope you enjoy the content inside RecyclonomicsSC, and if you decide to recycle this publication, you can feel confident that you’ll be fueling the sustainability engine in the best way possible.

Ryan WilcoxCreative Director

In economic development, there are three general ways to create jobs: re-cruitment of outside industry, fostering

of start-up businesses, and growth/reten-tion of existing companies. New Carolina - SC Council on Competitiveness, focuses on the latter. We identify core industries where South Carolina already has an eco-nomic advantage and critical mass, and we help them to grow through cluster development. Cluster development increases productivity through competition, builds trust through collaboration, and increases access to shared resources such as skilled workforce and improved infrastructure.

To organize a cluster, New Carolina convenes the top industry stakeholders and works to facilitate a vision for the industry. With the industry, we develop a plan to overcome obstacles for that vision enabling the cluster members to achieve more together than they can alone. We design solutions that make our companies more competitive in their industry by staying in South Carolina.

Some of our key industries and their New Carolina initiated clusters are trans-portation, distribution and logistics — The TDL Council, the nuclear sector -- Caroli-nas’ Nuclear Cluster, insurance technology and services — ITs|SC Columbia’s Insur-ance and Technology Services Cluster, and the recycling sector — RecyclonomicsSC.

New Carolina is very excited about the opportunities for growth and impact with the recycling cluster. This is a dynamic group of innovative people work-ing in a very important industry with global implications. We are increasing our expectations for recycling participation without overburdening our citizens. As we say at RecyclonomicsSC — Small Changes, Big Returns.

http://www.scbiznews.com


http://www.charlestonbusiness.com

http://www.gsabusiness.com

http://www.columbiabusinessreport.com

http://www.scbizmag.com

www.newcarolina.org


Sponsored by

Presenting Sponsor

Welcome from our Sponsor

In Partnership With

®

Sonoco Recycling is proud to present the first

publication dedicated to recycling in South

Carolina, RecyclonomicsSC. As a leader in

recycling, founded in Hartsville, S.C., we are excited

about this unique opportunity to expand awareness

within our great state amongst a broad set of con-

sumers with ever-changing recycling needs. Sonoco

Recycling is honored to serve the recycling needs of

municipalities, businesses and residents with our

material recovery facilities (MRFs) and operations

throughout the state.

One of our top priorities is to provide education

throughout South Carolina regarding the benefits

of recycling, both financially and environmentally.

RecyclonomicsSC gives South Carolinians the chance

to communicate best practices, learn of existing

efforts and understand more about this growing

initiative to recycle.

Thank you for staying involved. We hope you will

let us know how Sonoco Recycling can help you

achieve your recycling goals.





www.newcarolina.org


On July 25, 2012, the

New York Times ran

an article by David

Borstein called “The Recy-

cling Reflex.” His opening

paragraph was:

“What if there were something

that could create 1.5 million new

jobs, reduce carbon emissions equal

to taking 50 million cars off the road,

cut dependence on foreign oil, in-

crease exports, save water, improve

air quality and reduce toxic waste?

What if it were low-cost and readily

implemented? Wouldn’t everyone do

it? At a time of wildfires, droughts and

persistent unemployment, wouldn’t

it be a centerpiece of the presidential

campaign? Well, there is such a thing.

It’s called recycling.”

South Carolina currently has more than 450 recycling

companies. Since 2006, the state has announced $4 billion

in investments and 6,000 jobs, according to the S.C. Depart-

ment of Commerce. Many of these jobs are in rural areas.

In 2011, the state recycled only 27.7% of the potential

material. Every 10% increase beyond this 27% represents

2,000 jobs and another billion dollars in investment. If we

could reach the RecyclonomicsSC goal of 70%, we would

be looking at another 8,000 jobs and $2.4 billion in invest-

ments. This is an enormous opportunity.

RecyclonomicsSC is currently generating a menu of

policy options that could be adopted, including:

• bans on specific materials to landfills

• pay-as-you-throw strategies that provide economic

incentive to recycling

• financial and/or non-financial incentives for becom-

ing a zero waste facility

RecyclonomicsSC will hold their annual legislative day

on Feb. 20, 2013.

RecyclonomicsSC has contracted with New Carolina to

provide management and executive director services. I will

be serving as their executive director from New Carolina’s

Greenville office. The entire New Carolina team looks for-

ward to working with RecyclonomicsSC and growing this

dynamic business.

Bobby HittS.C. Secretary of Commerce

George FletcherExecutive Director

Emeritus

Letter from New Carolina

State of Recycling from Commerce

The green industry

is strong in the

Palmetto State. With

more than 450 recycling

businesses and an estimat-

ed 20,000 jobs created by

this sector, environmental sustainabil-

ity is proving to be good for business

in South Carolina.

As the state’s recycling businesses

continue to grow and new companies

choose South Carolina as the perfect

place to go green and make green, we

are well-positioned to support and

promote this industry.

The state’s success and increas-

ing reputation in the recycling sector

show that we are on the right track:

• In 2011, the recycling industry announced $333

million in capital investment, a creation of over 800

jobs with 15 new or existing companies investing in

South Carolina.

• South Carolina has four times more jobs in recy-

cling per capita than California or Massachusetts,

both of whom are leaders in recycling

• State recycling programs and initiatives divert

thousands of tons of materials from landfills and

recycle them for productive functions

• Local governments, commercial businesses and

recyclers alike have access to an abundance of recy-

cling markets in South Carolina.

Recycling and responsible material management make

a difference. Engaging in recycling ensures that these prod-

ucts go to recyclers close by. The benefit is direct – compa-

nies grow, resulting in more local jobs and tax revenues.

South Carolina’s green state of mind is further dem-

onstrated by Commerce’s Recycling Market Development

Advisory Council and staff’s combined efforts to attract

and develop businesses in our state.

From entrepreneurs who provide new recycling busi-

ness options to flagship companies that convert recycled

materials, South Carolina’s recycling industry is leading

the way in the green economy.


www.newcarolina.org


Truly nothing could be finer than Greening of Caro-

lina, and there is no better example of green than

RecyclonomicsSC. RecyclonomicsSC, an initiative of

the S.C. Recycling Council, is a new business-oriented orga-

nization in the state focused on recovery of recyclable ma-

terial for industry growth. While many groups have been

singing the environmental praises of

recycling for years, RecyclonomicsSC

is helping companies in South Caro-

lina to lead the charge in recycling

with resounding bottom-line benefits.

Businesses recognize that the small

changes made by subscribing to the

lean, clean and green mantra of recy-

cling lead to big returns for them and

their communities. RecyclonomicsSC

businesses then download economic

benefits from recycling made up of en-

ergy savings, material reuse, green job

creation, avoided emissions, and corporate sustainability.

The RecyclonomicsSC vision is for South Carolina to be

a national leader in the recycling industry in terms of job

creation, investment and providing sustainable markets

for recyclable materials. So, how are we doing on the vi-

sion quest?

On the job creation, investment, and markets front,

South Carolina has other states beat.

• 20,000 jobs in recycling

• $4 billion in investment since 2006;

$333 million of that in 2011

• 4 times more jobs in recycling per capita

than California or Massachusetts

• 475 recycling businesses

What is the issue, then? We are doing great in recycling,

right? No, not exactly. Despite the fact that we have a ro-

bust industry, South Carolina is at a recycling cliff for avail-

able recycled material supply, where materials destined for

the landfill dwarf those destined for recycling. Companies

are facing a critical shortage of recycled bottles, cans,

packaging containers, and materials to recycle. South

Carolina’s recycling rate of 27.7 percent is low compared to

many other states and the national average of 34.1 percent.

So, how can we all sing from the same sheet of music?

RecyclonomicsSC will work with its partners in recycling to

help raise the recycling rate by:

• Educating businesses, people, and elected officials

about recycling’s economic value

• Promoting policy to raise South Carolina’s recycling

rate

• Working with universities, industry and other part-

ners to identify technical solutions to roadblocks

hindering growth in recycling

• Addressing supply chain gaps and recruit industry

to the state

• Fans of RecyclonomicsSC recognize that recycling

not only creates new opportunities, but it also sup-

ports local governments and commercial business-

es by providing access to an abundance of recycling

markets.

From the greening of the environment to the greening

of corporate bottom lines, RecyclonomicsSC is the per-

sonification of South Carolina’s ability to harmoniously

assemble people, industry, academia and ideas with a posi-

tive economic outcome. I welcome you to make a small

change today and join us for a big return to the quality of

life we all enjoy in South Carolina!

Tina Green Huskey, Chair

RecyclonomicsSC, an initiative of the

South Carolina Recycling Council

Tina Green Huskey

RecyclonomicsSC

RecyclonomicsSC boosts greening of South Carolina

http://www.recyclonomicssc.com


Upfr nt

$11 billionEstimated total economic impact of

recycling in S.C. for 2011

385,856,726

1.4 Poundsof MSW recycled per person per day in S.C.

Recycling definitionsMunicipal Solid Waste (MSW)The combined residential and commercial solid waste generated in an area. MSW includes paper, cans, bottles, food scraps, yard trimmings and other items. Industrial process waste, agricultural waste, mining waste and sewage sludge are not considered MSW.

Recycling RateThe measurement of activities by which discarded materials are collected, sorted, processed and con-verted into raw materials and used to make new products.

Total Solid Waste (TSW)Includes not only MSW but construction and demoli-tion debris, process waste and any other material that is generated.

Source: S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control’s Office of Solid Waste Reduction & Recycling

S.C.’s recycling efforts have resulted in

an environmental impact equivalent to

conserving this many gallons of gas.

Recycling 1 glass bottle will save

enough energy to light a 100-watt

light bulb for 4 hours.

Recycling 1 aluminum can will

run a computer for 3 hours.

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

Source: Aluminum Association

Source: The 2011 S.C. Solid Waste Management Annual Report

Source: The 2011 S.C. Solid Waste Management Annual Report

Recycling is not only smart: It is huge in South Carolina. More than 475 companies,

large and small, make recycling their business. About 20,000 South Carolinians work in

recycling every day. Here are a few facts about why recycling is important.


Corporate OfficeNinety Six, SC864-543-9912

CU-ICAR OfficeGreenville, SC864-214-7127

www.mumfordindustries.com

Recycling... It’s what we do.We see waste as a potential resource and create opportunities for recovery that reduce

cost, increase profit and decrease environmental impact.

http://www.mumfordindustries.com


Upfr nt

Paper or plastic? Neither!The family grocery bag legacy lives on in Kristen Brown

of Pawleys Island. Her father, Gordon Dancy, invented the

plastic grocery bag, which went into use about 1980. Now,

the plastic bag’s time has run out. To offer an alternative

that is more fun, Brown invented MY ECO, a reusable shop-

ping bag system.

The bags are made of recycled polypropylene, the

plastic used in yogurt containers. The four-bag set has an

insulated tote for cold items, and one each for glass bottles

and jars, produce, and dry items and boxes. The four hold

a week’s worth of groceries for Brown’s family of four, and

when full they fit neatly into a shopping cart.

Brown has a program with schools to sell bags as a

fund-raiser. They can also be purchased from her website,

www.getmyeco.com, at a cost of $24.95 per set.

“We’re headed toward zero waste,” said Brown, a recy-

cling and waste reduction consultant. “I’ll do anything I

can do to make it easier.”

Retro recyclingAs it turns out, one of our country’s older charities was

into recycling more than 100 years ago. Goodwill Indus-

tries was “organized to save material waste and turn it

into human well-being,” wrote its founder, the Rev. Edgar

Helms. A few numbers: In the Upstate and Midlands, 39

million pounds of goods were donated last fiscal year. In

the Lowcountry in 2011, 13.5 million pounds of recyclables

were kept out of the landfill.

“Our goal is to keep maximizing the value of anything

that has use,” says Crystal Hardesty, director of market-

ing and public relations for Goodwill Industries of Up-

state/Midlands S.C. As an example, Goodwill gets lots of

T-shirts donated, Hardesty says, and some just don’t sell.

So employees use an industrial cutter to transform the

old shirts into 12-inch squares, repackaged as GoodWipes

cleaning cloths. They’re big sellers at $1.29 per pound.

Goodwill stores in South Carolina and across the U.S.

partner with Dell on computer recycling. Donated com-

puters are stripped of any parts that contain personal

information, and everything else – plastics, metals, glass

– is recycled by Dell.

A more recent addition to the Goodwill business model

is shopgoodwill.com. Stores from all over post items for

sale on this auction website. Grinding of the Greens

When the holidays are over, the life of your Christ-

mas tree is not quite ended. Many communities in South

Carolina collect the castoff trees and turn them into

mulch. In the Midlands and in Greenville, the Grinding of

the Greens is a well-established custom.

Residents can drop off their Christmas

trees at a number of points, starting the

day after Christmas. Around the sec-

ond or third weekend in January, the

trees are ground into mulch, which

is given away free. But you’d better

get there early! Other places that

have been recycling holiday trees

are Beaufort, Horry, Kershaw and

Oconee counties, and the city

of Florence. Contact your local

government to find out about

plans for this year.

Wear your support on your car

You can show your support for recycling with a special

South Carolina vehicle license plate. The Reduce Reuse

Recycle plate is available to all state residents for $30 plus

the regular registration fee. A portion of this fee supports

the S.C. recycling industry, providing education and

increasing awareness.


Upfr nt

S.C. can do BETTER

1.2 million tonsof easily recyclable material – paper, cans,

plastic and glass bottles went to S.C. landfills,

2009-2011.

$171 millionstatewide net loss in unattained revenues and paid

disposal costs, as well as the missed opportunity for

jobs and investments by recycling businesses and

manufacturers, 2009-2011.

Source: S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control

Source: S.C. Department of Commerce

Economic Development Announcements Related to Recycling, 2012

Company Investment No. jobs County

BMW $900 M 300 Spartanburg

Nucor Corp. N/A N/A Darlington

Pratt Industries $3.5 M 30 Spartanburg

Lowcountry Biomass $16 M 26 Jasper

Michelin $750 M 500 Anderson, Lexington

Diversified Plastics $2.5 M 15 Dillon

Grace Plastics $1.2 M 16 Greenville

US Fibers $5.5 M 48 Edgefield

Encore Container $3.9 M 89 Greenville

PyroTec Inc. $10 M 75 Charleston

Polydeck Screen Corp. $7 M 32 Spartanburg

eCycling $23 M 18 Allendale

Con-Pearl North America $14 M 51 Greenville

Henry Molded Products Inc. $5 M 18 Anderson

McGill Environmental Systems N/A 25 Berkeley


Ricky Jackson checks tires as they come into Viva Recycling, before the first shred process. Tires are

checked for rims and other debris that could damage the shredding equipment.. (Photo/Leslie Burden)


smart Jobs

smart Jobs

Recycling means paychecks in S.C.

By Mary Jane Benston

Marty Sergi sees enormous opportunity for job cre-

ation in South Carolina’s recycling industry, and

he is helping it happen in Berkeley County.

Sergi’s company last year established a tire recycling

and rubber products manufacturing facility in an existing

plant in Moncks Corner. After retrofitting

the plant and moving a manufacturing

business there from China, Viva Recycling

of South Carolina has 53 employees and

plans to add about 100 by the end of 2013.

Sergi plans to move beyond tires into

other lines of recycling.

“South Carolina’s recycling (rate) is one

of the lowest in the country, so the op-

portunity is enormous. There are literally

thousands if not tens of thousands of jobs

that South Carolina does not have because

it’s landfilling most of its waste streams,”

he said.

The S.C. Department of Commerce “conservatively” esti-

mates there are 20,000 recycling jobs in the state. In a 2006

study, economists at the College of Charleston estimated

there were 15,600 jobs attributable to recycling activities.

Chantal Fryer, the Commerce Department’s senior man-

ager for recycling market development, says an additional

5,000 jobs have been added over the last five or six years,

counting jobs that were announced only through Com-

merce.

Evaluating the impact of the industry in 2006, the econ-

omists estimated that for every recycling

job in South Carolina, an additional 1.4 jobs

were created though the ripple effect of

spending by firms and employees.

At the time, there were 340 firms listed

in Commerce’s directory of recycling busi-

nesses. The firms ranged in size from 1

employee to 553, and the average salary

reported in the industry was $32,229. The

economists concluded the recycling jobs

were “relatively good jobs in a state where

the average salary (was) reported to be

$31,940 for all occupations in all indus-

tries.”

“Recycling makes jobs and brings paychecks to South

Carolina,” said Ronnie Grant, chairman of the state’s Recy-

cling Market Development Advisory Council.

What’s the potential for South Carolina to gain jobs

in recycling? Grant and other leaders in the industry say

“South Carolina’s recycling (rate) is one of the lowest in the country, so the opportunity is

enormous.”Marty Sergi

Viva Recycling of South Carolina

smart Jobs


that the success of recycling businesses depends in large

part on the recycling efforts of households, businesses and

governments.

Recycling is like a “field of

dreams,” subject to the prover-

bial “If you build it they will

come,” says Grant. “If the vol-

ume is there, they will come.”

Unfortunately, however, in

South Carolina recycling vol-

ume is not what it could be. In

a 2010 strategic plan prepared

for the recycling industry, the

framers noted, “While technological innovation is increas-

ing the recycling capabilities and applications well beyond

imagination, there is a wealth of material being lost to

landfills rather than going back into production.”

Grant, a senior account representative for Sonoco, has

over 40 years’ experience in recycling. The industry has

had a large growth capacity, he

says, and “hopefully, it can get

bigger now with single-stream

coming on line versus sorted-

at-the-curb.” In single-stream

recycling, materials are mixed

when they are collected, and

then they are separated at

materials recovery facilities

(MRFs, pronounced “murfs” in

the industry).

Municipalities converting from recycling bins to roll-cart

collections usually have a 40% to 45% increase in collec-

20,000That’s how many jobs the S.C. Department of

Commerce “conservatively” estimates there are in

the recycling industry.

Viva Recycling processes shredded tires into mulch for playgrounds. (Photo/Leslie Burden)

Recycled rubber products can be used for mulch in landscapes and on play areas. (Photos/Viva Recycling)

http://www.prattindustries.com


smart Jobs


tions, Grant says. Residents find it easier to get recyclables

to the curb, and municipalities find them easier to collect.

“It makes everybody’s life better,” Grant says.

If more recyclables are collected, MRFs could expand

their hours. And there would be more PET plastics, carpet,

aluminum, steel cans and paper going to the S.C. firms that

crave those materials.

And South Carolina could see more jobs.

The education levels required for jobs in the recycling

industry can range from high school to college degree-plus,

Grant says. “There’s a lot of technology involved in these

MRFs now.” The same is true in the processes that reuse

the materials, such as shredding plastic bottles and turn-

ing them into fiber.

Commerce puts the number of recycling companies at

more than 475 now. While the concentrations of recycling

operations are greatest in the populous Charleston, Colum-

bia and Greenville regions, numerous plants are scattered

across the S.C. landscape, providing employment in the

outskirts and rural communities as well.

In the Lowcountry tire recycling plant where Viva is

operating now, employment was down to only six workers

when Sergi, president and COO, arrived last year.

“There was a trend where our scrap tires . . . were being

exported to China to make products from the rubber that

was recycled out of the tires to literally sell that product

Tires are ground to the landscape mulch size, prior to being colored. (Photos/Leslie Burden) Gerry Beauford inspects playground material as it is being made.


smart Jobs


back on the shelves of Lowe’s and Home Depot, etc.,” Sergi

says.

“We started here again with the help of Commerce,

bought all new equipment and retrofitted, plus brought the

equipment from China to make the products that we’re

making now.” The Moncks Corner facility and other plants

use recycled rubber to manufacture PermaLife products,

which are found in gym flooring, playground surfaces, ath-

letic fields, sidewalks and asphalt additives.

The S.C. Technical College System’s workforce training

program, readySC, helped Viva put employees in place by

advertising a job fair and by assisting with interviews and

the selection process. Trident Technical College sponsored

a training course that was tailored for the Viva jobs. The

same hiring and training system will be used as the plant

expands, Sergi says.

About 2 million scrap tires, mainly from South Carolina,

come into the plant now. The goal is to take that total to 5

million when an upcoming expansion is completed.

Sergi says recycling is successful when driven by the

private sector, with the public sector just helping. It can’t

be based on government subsidies, he says. “Government

subsidies ultimately don’t work. It eventually falls apart.”

“Recycling, wherever it’s given its fair chance and is

based on economics . . . then you usually can have a win-

ner and you can produce a lot of jobs.”

Chris Misner fabricaties a catch-all plate for the first shred process at Viva Recycling.Marty Sergi of Viva Recycling says recycling succeeds when it is driven by the private sector.


smart Entrepreneurs

Recycling startups grow economic footprint while treading lightly on environment

By Holly Fisher

Smart entrepreneurs have the forethought and vision

to recognize an industry on the verge of growth.

That’s the case with startups around South Carolina

who saw the potential of the recycling market and jumped

in with both feet. Some have been around several

years and others are just getting started, but all

see what a pivotal role recycling, reducing and

reusing play in our economy, culture and

marketplace.

The following South Carolina busi-

nesses are turning trash to treasure,

providing recycling equipment and

helping homeowners and business-

es take another step toward sustain-

ability.

DwellSmartCharleston | www.dwellsmart.com

Five years ago Mary Gatch start-

ed DwellSmart with a mission of

providing products that not only

improved the health of customers but

were good for environmental health

as well. With a large showroom plus an

online store, DwellSmart is meeting

its mission.

Products include gifts, toys, cloth-

ing, baby items, personal care products, jewelry, office

supplies and cleaning supplies. The company also sells

organic mattresses, home décor and gardening items.

DwellSmart offers a line of building products, including

wood, paint, lighting, plumbing, tile and carpeting. Plus, it

showcases recycled countertops from fellow Charleston

green business, Fisher Recycling.

Every product sold by DwellSmart must meet one

or more of its core criteria: sustain, protect, conserve,

reduce and share.

DwellSmart has also partnered with na-

tional company TerraCycle, which recycles

those often hard-to-reuse products like

drink pouches, yogurt cups and chip

bags. TerraCycle turns that trash into

a variety of products from lunch boxes

and notebooks to totebags and jewelry.

DwellSmart is the official online retailer

for TerraCycle, stocking and selling its

products.

As recycling becomes more main-

stream, a company like DwellSmart

fills an even larger need – especially in

the green building industry.

“Trends in recycling have been

driven by LEED certification and

that’s a really good thing,” Gatch said.

“As people are trying to build LEED

houses or buildings, they are trying

to get the points for using recycled

content. We’re seeing more and more products that are

coming out and available.”

DwellSmart partners with TerraCycle to sell its products made of recycled chip bags and

drink pouches. (Photo/DwellSmart)


smart Entrepreneurs

Becker Complete Compactor Inc.Columbia | www.beckercomplete.com

When Keith and Cassandra Becker relocated to South

Carolina from Pennsylvania in the mid-1990s, they were

used to sorting their trash and recycling. But in South

Carolina they found recycling was almost unheard of, Cas-

sandra Becker said.

So it made sense to focus their business on repairing

roll-off and front-load container vehicles. But as time went

on, they couldn’t shake the idea that, even though recy-

cling wasn’t common, the companies that did have recy-

cling equipment would have a real need for repair work.

Keith Becker and his son went through a training

program with recycling systems manufacturer Marathon

Equipment to learn how to repair compactors and bal-

ers. That side of the business grew, and soon the Beckers

decided to turn all their attention to the recycling side of

their company.

They sold off the other piece of the business and have

been solely focused on Becker Complete Compactor for

three years. In addition to doing equipment repairs in the

Carolinas and parts of Georgia, they also sell used equip-

ment and parts online to buyers all over the country.

The company stays on top of new developments in the

industry, such as the Bayne’s BEST Lift System that lifts

and dumps a trash can into a larger trash bin. This device

cuts down on workplace injuries caused by employees lift-

ing heavy trash cans.

The Beckers are also looking into a digester product that

can turn food waste into water.

These products that can save businesses money are

quickly gaining ground in the recycling industry. “Busi-

nesses will spend money for things that will save them

money,” Cassandra Becker said.

Fisher RecyclingCharleston | www.fisherrecycling.com

Over the last two decades, Fisher Recycling has been

collecting glass bottles as well as paper, plastic and old

electronics as it helped Charleston-area businesses reduce

their carbon footprint and eliminate trash from the land-

fills.

Fisher Recycling educates its customers, helping them

become more environmentally conscious, while creating

a customized plan to help them reduce waste. “Tailoring

each business to meet its optimal recycling program is our

specialty and our goal,” Chris Fisher said.

In recent years, Fisher Recycling has maintained its

focus on recycling while adding a reuse component with

the addition of its GlassECO line of products. This line in-

cludes recycled glass countertops and crushed glass used

Fisher Recycling has added a reuse component with its recycled glass countertops, part of the GlassECO line. (Photo/Fisher Recycling)

smart Entrepreneurs

20

for landscape cullet for driveways and other decorative

landscaping projects.

With sustainability at its core, Fisher Recycling also has

a dedication to the community through local entrepre-

neurship and philanthropy. The company offers franchise

opportunities in the Southeast with two franchises – Hil-

ton Head/Savannah and the Grand Strand – celebrating

more than two years in business.

SustainTex / MantraMedsGreenville | www.mantrameds.com

Who knew medical scrubs could change the world? Jack

Miller and Jerry Wheeler did. With backgrounds in textile

and supply chain operations, they saw how the textile

industry was changing and yet wanted to remain a part of

the story. They combined their expertise to create scrubs

that are functional, fashionable and, most importantly,

made with the environment in mind.

The company philosophy centers around the F.A.S.T

Footprint approach – fair, accountable, sustainable and

transparent – coupled with a desire to transform the U.S.

textile industry.

By offering scrubs, along with lab coats and surgical

caps, MantraMeds’ objec-

tive is to use fashion

and quality to create

a product that is also

price competitive,

Miller said. At lot of

people think that be-

cause something is

green, it doesn’t

have the per-

formance

of regular

stock and

that’s just not

the case, he

said.

MantraMeds

uses certified

Texas organic

cotton and recycled

polyester. The com-

pany manufactures

its products in the United States, further reducing environ-

mental impact. Not even 3 years old, MantraMeds is work-

ing with hospitals and businesses that have a commitment

to sustainability and green practices.

“We love the local story,” Miller said.

Earthspun ApparelGreenville | www.earthspunapparel.com

Ever wonder what happens to that plastic water bottle,

soda bottle or beer bottle after it’s tossed in the recycling

bin? At Earthspun Apparel, those bottles become short-

and long-sleeved T-shirts. But more than using the recy-

cled goods to create fiber for clothing, the shirts also reflect

the color of their source material.

Available in Soda Pop Green, Beer Bottle Brown, X-Ray

Gray, Water Bottle Blue and Food Tray Black, Earthspun

Apparel clothing goes a step further in the recycling pro-

cess. By not using dye to create the color of the shirts, the

company is also saving water and energy, said partner Jack

Miller. “Plus it tells a really neat story,” he said.

The company’s signature T-shirt contains the recycled

plastic equivalent to more than six 20-ounce bottles. The

shirts are made in the United States – part of the com-

pany’s commitment to do as much business locally as

possible.

In business less than two years,

Earthspun Apparel is still growing its

market and finding its niche among

green-minded consumers. Earthspun is

working with the college market on co-

branded T-shirts and with the surfing

community.

Miller said his company is

learning that as a startup it’s

best to connect first with that

green market. “Before, we

were taking green apparel

to the conventional market

and it’s taken us a year to

decide let’s focus on the

green market. Let’s focus on

the people who want green

products because in the

conventional market it’s all

about price.”


Reducing Upstate Waste Since 2007.

Call Ecopreneur Elizabeth Garrison Rasor for a complimentary recycling consultation for your business.

(864) 230-9800 | ever-greenrecycling.com

Ever-Green Recycling is a woman-owned business specializing in commercial recycling services for o�ces, restaurants, hotels, manufacturing facilities, apartment complexes, and more. Ever-Green recycles paper, plastic, cardboard, bottles, cans, glass and electronics. We also o�er educational training for companieson how and what to recycle.

smart Web

Your recycling guide online

There’s a new place to go online to get information

about recycling in South Carolina. An innova-

tive website, www.recyclonomicssc.com, has tips for

manufacturers, businesses and consumers.

The site is the home for RecyclonomicsSC,

an initiative of the South Carolina Recycling

Council. The cluster of recycling businesses

began meeting in 2007, and Recyclonomics-

SC was incorporated in January 2012.

The new website went live on May 8,

2012, said Chantal Fryer, senior manager of

Recycling Market Development at the S.C

Department of Commerce. “Its focus is on

the economic value of recycling.”

It’s a part of carrying out the mission of Re-

cyclonomicsSC: to grow South Carolina’s recycling econ-

omy by promoting policy, building networks, developing

markets and increasing recovery of recyclable materials.

Visitors to the website can find out about recycling

events, the latest recycling business news and the eco-

nomic impact of the industry in South Carolina.

Tips for businesses and manufactur-

ers include conducting a waste audit and

looking for markets for recyclable items. For

consumers, suggestions include learning

about your community’s recycling pro-

grams, finding out where to take your re-

cyclables, and buying products made from

recycled materials.

The website also shows the state’s re-

cycling specialty license plate for vehicles,

and it helps businesses find ways to team

up to recycle their waste products.

Another online source for information about the re-

cycling business is through the S.C. Department of Com-

merce’s website, www.recyclinginsc.com.

www.RecyclonomicsSC.com

http://www.ever-greenrecycling.com



smart Collaboration

Turning waste into treasure

By Mary Jane Benston

South Carolina companies are teaming up to keep

waste out of landfills, often while helping their own

bottom lines.

Manufacturers that are looking for “green” ways to

dispose of waste sometimes find that other manufacturers

are quite willing to take those materials and use them to

make new products.

In one such partnership, the Upstate’s BMW plant, wide-

ly known for its green ways, supplies plastics to a Colum-

bia company that makes whiffle balls.

In another collaboration, Boeing and other manufactur-

ers who use carbon fiber composites are sending scrap

to a plant in Florence County, where the carbon fiber is

reclaimed and reused in other products.

In BMW’s collaboration with the ball manufacturer, the

automaker collects waste plastics from its assembly pro-

cess and turns them over to Stee-Rike 3, which carefully

blends them with fresh materials to produce hard plastic

training balls for baseball players.

“We have quite a bit of plastics coming out of this plant

on a monthly basis,” says Wes Westbrooks, BMW waste

specialist. There is a demand for certain types of plastics,

he says, but some types are “very hard for us to get rid of

on-site.”

“Think about a Boeing 787. The material is used in that plane for, say, 30 years. Instead of it going to a landfill, we can reclaim the fibers, and then we can put them, let’s say, into a Corvette car for 20 years, and then let’s say when the car’s ready to see its end of life we could put it into a Trek bike, so you get

multiple uses of a very good, advanced material called carbon fiber.”Jim Stike

president and CEO, Materials Innovation Technologies


smart Collaboration Manage

RecycleDisposal

Transport

Fully Integrated Industrial Disposal and Recycling Solutions.

We manage and coordinate Recycling, Reclaiming, Disposal and Transportation of ALL hazardous and non-hazardous

waste streams for your business.

For More Information Contact:492-A La Mesa Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

843.886.3596 | [email protected] | www.caroinc.com

The BMW plant recycles 95% of the waste generated, so

when David Jones of Stee-Rike 3 contacted BMW about his

need for more plastics for his product, the automaker was

“happy to oblige,” Westbrooks says.

“BMW has been wonderful,” says Jones, “and we’re able

to take a waste product that did fit our strict terms of qual-

ity in the plastic and make a very usable product out of it.”

Stee-Rike 3 products “teach kids how to hit baseballs,”

he says. They are used by college and pro teams and are

sold by national stores.

The arrangement with Stee-Rike 3 is a testament to

BMW’s environmental consciousness, in Jones’ view. “Ev-

erybody thinks recycling’s an easy thing. It’s not,” he says.

“To keep it clean and usable takes an effort. It’s easier to

throw it in the landfill.”

BMW workers handle the plastic well “because they’re

professionals in everything they handle,” Jones says. “And

we’re able to buy it at a price cheaper than the virgin

prices, quite frankly.”

The carbon fiber recycler, MIT-RCF, opened in Lake City in

2010. Jim Stike, president and CEO of parent company Ma-

terials Innovation Technologies, says manufacturers collect

their scrap in reusable containers for shipment to the plant.

Two of the main sources are Boeing, which sends material

from Seattle operations as well as from its Charleston facil-

ity, and Trek Bicycles, which is in Wisconsin.

Stike calls the solution “three shades of green.” The

first shade is waste elimination, to the tune of 1.5 million

The BMW plant recycles 95% of waste generated. When Stee-Rike 3 in Columbia needed plastics for its practice balls, the automaker gladly provided them.

http://www.caroinc.com

http://www.solidwasteauthority.org


smart Collaboration

pounds. “Before we started our company in South Carolina,

people were just throwing this in dumpsters and throwing

it in the landfills.”

The second shade of green is really where the environ-

mental benefit occurs, Stike says. “It takes

96% less energy to reclaim carbon fiber

than it does to manufacture virgin carbon

fiber, so if we can put a million pounds of

carbon fiber back into the supply chain,

that is a million pounds of carbon fiber

that you do not have to produce from raw

materials.”

The third shade of green is sustainabil-

ity. “Think about a Boeing 787,” Stike says.

“The material is used in that plane for, say,

30 years. Instead of it going to a landfill,

we can reclaim the fibers, and then we can

put them, let’s say, into a Corvette car for

20 years, and then let’s say when the car’s

ready to see its end of life we could put it

into a Trek bike, so you get multiple uses of a very good,

advanced material called carbon fiber.”

Recycling trade groups and state government agencies

try to encourage and facilitate efforts to put reclaimed

goods back into production. On its website, the state

Department of Health and Environmental Control helps

match companies that want to get rid of a material with

companies that need that material.

For BMW’s Westbrooks, the collabora-

tions that help him find homes for waste

and byproducts can result from referrals or

the occasional sales rep who’s just driving

by the plant and stops in.

Many of the arrangements develop from

connections within the recycling industry,

however. “Because the recycling and waste

field is such a small field, everyone kind

of knows everyone else, so your name is

usually given out,” he says. Westbrooks is

a member of the state’s Recycling Market

Development Advisory Council, whose

members share ideas on a regular basis.

“It’s a nice network we’ve created. We

have connections ranging from South

Carolina going all the way to California.” For BMW it’s a

win-win, enabling the green-conscious manufacturer “to

find homes and outlets for a lot of our hard-to-recycle

products.”

Trek bicycle frames are recycled at the Lake City facility of MIT-RCF. (Photo/Materials Innovation Technologies)

“Before we started our company in South Carolina, people were

just throwing this in dumpsters and throwing it in the

landfills.” Jim Stike

president and CEO, Materials Innovation

Technologies


smart Collaboration

843-395-0373 | www.carolinawastesolutions.com

CWS is a waste reduction and recycling resource firm. Our objective is to reduce waste cost through recycling efforts. With 15 years’ experience in the waste and recycling industry, we can design a waste and recycling plan specifically for the needs of your company. Stop paying trash companies to haul items to the landfill that other companies can reuse or recycle. Call us today!

CUTTING COSTS?Let’s start with your

– TRASH. –

Our recycling program is simple, convenient and a�ordable.

803.331.6626 | www.TomatoPalms.com

TOMATO PALMS® provides recycling solutions for in-o�ce & curbside recycling services

Who we serve:

Tomato Palms provides long-term recycling solutions that are convenient, easy & a�ordable.�is innovative approach o�ers recycling services for

your o�ces, break rooms, kitchens and cafeterias.

1 2 3Facility

Walk-Through & Free Consultation.

Recycling Bin Placement

Plan.

Flexible Pick-Up

Schedules.

You need it, we have it

An online “matchmaking service” is aimed at reduc-

ing waste by helping businesses exchange reus-

able materials.

The South Carolina Materials Exchange is available on

the website of the state Department of Health and Envi-

ronmental Control.

Businesses, nonprofits and governments are invited

to list “materials available” and “materials wanted” on

the site, www.scdhec.gov/scme. Items from A to Z (abrasive

bristle to Zep truck and trailer wash) are listed as “avail-

able,” while the items on the “wanted” side range from A to

nearly Z (acoustical ceilings to white paint).

The listings include electronics, glass, metal, paper, pe-

troleum, plastic, rubber, textiles and wood. Don’t see what

you want? There are links to similar exchanges in Georgia

and North Carolina.

The S.C. exchange shows a “date listed” for each item.

While some materials were recently added, many appar-

ently have been listed for several years. In some cases

items stay on the list because the firms have ongoing

needs. Staffers regularly contact the companies to ensure

that their listings are current, says Mark Plowden, DHEC’s

communications director.

Anyone wanting to add a material may click on the

“submit a listing button” and follow the directions. List-

ings are usually posted no later than the next day, Plowden

said. Assistance is available at 800-768-7348.

Information on the actual number of exchanges that

users have accomplished is not available. However, the

S.C. Department of Commerce communicates

to recyclers about the materials

available through its

electronic newsletter,

“Recycling Newsbits.”

The exchange can

help users find valuable

materials for free or less

than the cost of new mate-

rials. Other benefits that are

touted include savings in

waste disposal costs, profit

from sale of surplus ma-

terials and conservation of

natural resources.

http://www.tomatopalms.com

http://www.carolinawastesolutions.com

26 www.RecyclonomicsSC.com Special Advertising Section

1/2 HADVERTISER NAME

Most people don’t realize how much re-

cycling goes on in the asphalt industry.

Upstate highway contractors Ashmore Bros.

Inc. introduced asphalt recycling procedures to South

Carolina years ago, and the company continues to

grow its efforts by recycling asphalt, concrete, tires,

and roo�ng shingles.

“Asphalt is 100 percent recyclable,” said David Ash-

more, executive vice president. “It’s America’s most

recycled product.”

Ashmore Bros. was an early adopter of a technique

that allows for in-place asphalt recycling, introducing

the concept to South Carolina in 1991. Through this

process, a reclaimer grinds up the road, reshapes it

and then a byproduct of asphalt cement is added to

the base.

The grinding and reshaping is all done right on the

road, explains Mark Ashmore, company president.

Rather than taking the old road pieces and hauling

them off to a land�ll, they take the existing materials

and reuse them.

The company also was the �rst in the state to

recycle roo�ng shingles into asphalt, a practice that is

now commonplace thanks to the efforts of Ashmore

Bros.

The company also works with Clemson University

to grind up old tires, turning them into premium-

grade asphalt. Ashmore Bros. brought that process to

the state in 1992.

The company’s recycling efforts not only bene�t

the environment, they also create a valuable product.

“We’re looking for something that enhances the prod-

uct and doesn’t just get rid of it,” David Ashmore said.

Ashmore Bros. crushes concrete from the demo-

lition of curbs, gutters and sidewalks, turning that

concrete back into usable materials for new jobs.

The company, which does private commercial and

industrial work as well as state projects, also recycles

asphalt for driveways and parking lots. Any dirt

�ltered out of the recycled asphalt goes back into the

roadways to build up highway new shoulders.

“We don’t throw any materials away,” David Ash-

more said. “There’s no waste. A generation ago, it

would have been dumped in a land�ll.”

Ashmore Bros. Inc.

PO Box 529

Greer, SC 29652

864-879-7311

www.ashmorebros.com

Asphalt milling and recycling Cold in-place reclamation

After you �nish a bottle or can of a refreshing

Coca-Cola product, we want you to “Give

It Back!” All of us at Coca-Cola are looking

for new and creative ways to ensure that all of our

packages get recycled.

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (CCBCC)

believes recycling is a rewarding experience, so in

partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, we cre-

ated the “Coca-Cola Recycle & Win” program to en-

courage our neighbors to experience it themselves.

We partnered with cities and counties throughout

our territory, including South Carolina, to promote

awareness of good recycling practices. We teamed

up with great retail partners like Harris Teeter,

Kroger and BI-LO, so residents in these areas can

win gift certi�cates for groceries when they recycle.

The program is fun and easy. Residents receive a

brochure in the mail with an opt-in sticker explain-

ing the rules. To participate, they put the sticker

on their recycling bin, place recyclables inside and

place the bin by the curb on recycling day. The

Recycle & Win Prize Patrol randomly visits neigh-

borhoods and rewards people for recycling the right

way.

We continue to expand the program to new cities

and towns across the Southeast. The Recycle & Win

Prize Patrol could be visiting your neighborhood

soon – be on the lookout! In the meantime, practice

recycling in your town. It’s good for the planet, and

that’s a winning strategy – no matter where you live.

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated

Website: www.CokeConsolidated.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CokeConsolidated

Twitter: www.twitter.com/CokeCCBCC

Community leaders and residents kick-off the Coca-Cola Recycle & Winprogram with the giant bottle toss.

A local resident places the Coca-Cola Recycle & Win sticker on her

recycling bin.

http://www.ashmorebros.com

Special Advertising Section 27www.RecyclonomicsSC.com

After you �nish a bottle or can of a refreshing

Coca-Cola product, we want you to “Give

It Back!” All of us at Coca-Cola are looking

for new and creative ways to ensure that all of our

packages get recycled.

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (CCBCC)

believes recycling is a rewarding experience, so in

partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, we cre-

ated the “Coca-Cola Recycle & Win” program to en-

courage our neighbors to experience it themselves.

We partnered with cities and counties throughout

our territory, including South Carolina, to promote

awareness of good recycling practices. We teamed

up with great retail partners like Harris Teeter,

Kroger and BI-LO, so residents in these areas can

win gift certi�cates for groceries when they recycle.

The program is fun and easy. Residents receive a

brochure in the mail with an opt-in sticker explain-

ing the rules. To participate, they put the sticker

on their recycling bin, place recyclables inside and

place the bin by the curb on recycling day. The

Recycle & Win Prize Patrol randomly visits neigh-

borhoods and rewards people for recycling the right

way.

We continue to expand the program to new cities

and towns across the Southeast. The Recycle & Win

Prize Patrol could be visiting your neighborhood

soon – be on the lookout! In the meantime, practice

recycling in your town. It’s good for the planet, and

that’s a winning strategy – no matter where you live.

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated

Website: www.CokeConsolidated.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CokeConsolidated

Twitter: www.twitter.com/CokeCCBCC

Community leaders and residents kick-off the Coca-Cola Recycle & Winprogram with the giant bottle toss.

A local resident places the Coca-Cola Recycle & Win sticker on her

recycling bin.

http://www.cokeconsolidated.com



Nucor Steel - Darlington is a premier producer

of angles, channels, �ats, rounds, rebar and

hexagons. We are located in Darlington,

South Carolina. Since beginning operations in 1969

as Nucor Corporation’s �rst bar mill, Nucor - Darling-

ton has grown to become the largest bar producer in

the Southeast. We have a state-of-the-art 160-ton DC

electric furnace supplying two highly ef�cient rolling

mills. We produce special bar quality, merchant bar

quality, and reinforcing bar products.

As the name implies, Nucor mini mills are small.

But their small footprint on the land is just one ben-

e�t to their very environmentally friendly nature.

For starters, a mini mill’s electric arc furnace

requires much less in the way of natural resources.

In fact, compared to the traditional blast furnace

process, every ton of steel made the mini mill way

eliminates the need for:

2,500 pounds of iron ore

1,400 pounds of coal

120 pounds of limestone

and 1,705 kilowatt hours of electricity.

Take the 22 million tons of steel Nucor made in

2007. That’s enough electricity saved to power over

6.5 million homes for a year.

While conservation of natural resources is by itself

an environmental bene�t, it pales in comparison to

the bene�ts brought about by the reduction of criteria

pollutants released into the atmosphere. (Think about

all that coal we no longer need to burn.) Compared to

the blast furnace, the mini mill’s arc furnace releases

86 fewer pounds of pollutants into the air for every

ton of steel made. In a year’s time, that has the effect

of reducing particulate matter emissions by over 2

million tons.

It all starts with recycling. By cleaning up our land

of scrap steel, we’re able to reduce mining waste by

97 percent, air pollution by 86 percent and water pol-

lution by 76 percent.

It’s a win-win situation.

Nucor Steel

www.nucor.com

Nucor Darlington Mini Mill

http://www.nucor.com



A Recycling Center is a direct-from-the-

public and commercial collector of

aluminum cans, scrap metals, insu-

lated wire and lead acid batteries in Columbia.

Their values have always been honesty and

integrity and their goal is to be good stewards

to the environment and their community. In

2008, they were awarded the “Best Small Re-

cycling Business” honor from the S. C. Depart-

ment of Commerce and RMDAC.

Since 2001, A Recycling Center has more

than doubled the size of their business, staff

and facilities. In 2011, ARC paid out over $1

million dollars into the local economy proving

that green business is good for South Carolina.

We would love to help you with your scrap

metal needs.

A RECYCLING CENTERBUYERS OF SCRAP METALS FOR RECYCLING

South Carolina’s Best Small-Sized Recycling Company - 2008

1009 Fontaine Road

Columbia, South Carolina 29223

803-786-6690

1/2 HADVERTISER NAMEGot Tires? SC Tire Processing helps you get rid of your bulk waste

and scrap tires in an environmentally friendly way. Our tire

processing facility is designed for your convenience, security

and safety. We accept all types of tires to feed the renewable energy

plant. It harnesses the energy to create clean power -- destroying the

tires. Our team is ready to provide reliable, regular bulk tire pick-up at

a competitive price. Our facility also accepts bulk drop-off of all types

of tires whether you have one or more loads. We are always hungry for

tires. For more information call 855-259-3593.

19562 Atomic Road

Jackson, SC 29831

SC Tire Processing Facility

https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Recycling-Center/152059724836080



WasteZero® is the nation’s leading provider

of proven and practical municipal waste re-

duction programs. WasteZero Trash Meter-

ing™ and pay-as-you-throw conversion programs save

money, increase recycling, and reduce waste 44% annu-

ally on average. Approximately 800 communities have

diverted more than 3 million tons of waste and saved

$200 million in waste disposal costs with WasteZero.

We tailor best-in-class and turnkey solutions to meet

any community’s needs—from program design to resi-

dent education and communication. And because we

manufacture 100% of our supplies in our state-of-the-art

facility in South Carolina, we know we deliver only the

highest quality custom trash bags available.

For more than 20 years, WasteZero has been work-

ing with communities to save money and reduce

waste. Learn how we can do the same for you at

www.wastezero.com or 800.866.3954.

WasteZero

8640 Colonnade Center Drive, Suite 312

Raleigh, NC 27615

WasteZero makes all of their plastic bags in

South Carolina from recycled material.

Above, blue plastic �lm in the manufacturing process.

The challenge of meeting the needs of tomor-

row’s marketplace is effectively addressed

by building sustainability into your strategy,

business practices, operations and products. Under-

standing the complex issues that sustainability raises

takes expert knowledge and experience across a broad

spectrum of disciplines.

Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) is a consulting

�rm dedicated to building solutions for our clients and

their communities. We create value for our clients by

understanding and bringing innovative solutions to

sustainability challenges. Businesses and communi-

ties rely upon us as a resource for �nancially sound,

effective and ef�cient implementation plans for their

sustainable strategies.

Contact a member of our southeastern team:

Keefe Harrison: 864-760-8828

Matt Todd: 919-824-7377

Anne Johnson: 434-989-0167

http://www.recycle.com/

http://www.wastezero.com



For VLS Recovery Services LLC, offering high

quality, value-added services while employ-

ing exceptional ethical, safety, and envi-

ronmental standards is business as usual. That’s

because VLS is committed to being the most reli-

able, efficient, and cost-effective waste manage-

ment and railcar cleaning service provider. With

facilities in South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee,

and Texas.

VLS uses its extensive residual management

and recycling program to help generators find a

more efficient use of every ounce of their plant

residuals. VLS offers a multitude of recycling and

reuse options as well as used oil and waste-to-

energy programs, wastewater treatment, solidi-

fication for landfills, handling of universal and

electronic wastes, site work services, and in-plant

management services.

VLS Recovery Services

vlsrs.com

VLS is committed to being the most reliable, ef�cient,

and cost-effective waste management and railcar

cleaning service provider.


We specialize in polyester recycling and

staple �ber manufacturing. Proudly

made in the United States, our �bers are

in demand throughout North America and around

the world. Our vision is to be one of the world’s

premier companies; innovative, distinctive and

successful in everything we do.

Various markets we serve:

Automotive

Home Furnishings

Geotextiles

Filtration

Nonwoven Industry

Excellence Through Innovation

30 Pine House Rd | Trenton. SC 29847

803-275-5023

www.us�bers.com

Recycling is the world’s responsibility. At US Fibers, it is our way of life.


http://www.vlsrs.com

For information about statewide advertising, call Steve Fields at 843.849.3110.

CONNECTING BUSINESSin South Carolina

SC Biz News is the premier publisher of business news in the state of South Carolina. We publish the Charleston Regional Business Journal, Columbia Regional Business Report, GSA Business and SCBIZ magazine.

Connect your business to our statewide audience.



cover Story

New goal: Zero waste to landfill

By Ross Norton

Recycling is smart for many reasons, both economic and environmental.

Corporations are taking on the challenge as their social responsibility.

And now, some of the largest manufacturing companies in

South Carolina are no longer sending any waste to the landfill.

That’s right: zero waste. On the following pages, find out how they did it.

At Sonoco Recycling, newspapers are gathered for recycling. (Photo/Jeff Blake)

cover Story



cover Story

The arrival of BMW Manufacturing in South Carolina’s

Upstate in the early 1990s brought mostly jubilation, but

there were some who worried about the environmental

impact of a large auto assembly plant. Today, more waste

goes into the landfill from residences than from the vast

BMW plant.

By the time the assembly line fired up in 1994, BMW had

strict environmental policies in place and recycling efforts

were part of the plant’s culture from the beginning. But in

2011 those goals got lofty.

Lisa Pirwitz, section manager, led a plantwide effort to

reduce waste destined for the landfill. As she researched

what other manufacturers were doing, she ramped up the

goal to attain zero waste to landfill. For a plant with 4 mil-

lion square feet of space and 7,000 employees, it was a tall

order.

It was a massive project that took buy-in from the top

down with strategies ranging from puppet shows and

pizza parties to a “waste sort,” where each assembly team

dug through its own garbage to see what should have been

recycled. And in their opinion, virtually all of it should.

In 2009, BMW measured its waste at 8.97 kilograms per

vehicle produced. In August of this year, when the last

landfill shipment took place, the ratio was down to 1.92

kilograms per vehicle produced. That’s 4.2 pounds of land-

fill waste for each BMW that rolls off the line — about the

weight of a half-gallon of milk. Since then, the assembly,

paint and body sections of the facility are operating at zero

waste to landfill.

“I think it was very exciting to see that it can be

achieved and it was fun to do,” Pirwitz said. “It was actually

a wonderful feeling.”

Workers sort through recyclables at Sonoco Recycling in Columbia. (Photo/Jeff Blake)


cover Story

March 7, 2013Baxter Hood Center

at York Technical College452 S. Anderson Road, Rock Hill, SC

7:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

For information on attending, exhibiting or sponsoring visit:

yorkgreenbizconference.com

Enjoy morning and afternoon sessions on innovative and sustainable techniques, local

field trip, exhibitors, breakfast and lunch!

“Zero waste to landfill” is a goal catching on among

industry leaders. It’s an ideal featured proudly on company

websites and literature.

Fruit of the Loom’s Palmetto Distribution Center in

Summerville recently attained its landfill-free goal.

Distribution Center Manager Jay Medlin said the impe-

tus to keep waste out of precious landfill space comes from

the top at Fruit of the Loom.

“Corporate social responsibility — we’ve always done

that,” Medlin said, so at his plant it wasn’t the corporate

hierarchy that had to be sold. It was the employees.

“We had to get them involved to take pride in it. Once

they got involved, it was pretty easy,” he said.

In 2010, the distribution center sent 67,000 pounds of

waste to a landfill and recycled 1.16 million pounds. A year

later, only 28,620 pounds went to landfill. By August of this

Top: Recycled newspapers are checked over by Sonoco employees.Bottom: Cars that do not meet BMW’s quality specifications are crushed and sent to a scrap metal facility for recycling. (Photo/BMW)

Why do more businesses choose Charleston Steel over the others?

Our experience and know how designs and completes every job e�ciently no

matter how big or small.

Our trucks transport metals of all kinds and sizes in containers or �atbeds,

low-sides, hi-sides and dumps.Mobile Crews and Equipment.

Competitive Pricing...Prompt Payment

“�e LowCountry’s Leader in Metal Recycling”

www.charlestonsteelandmetal.com

We love challenges!

2700 Spruill Avenue N. Charleston, SC 29405

(843) 722-72783038 Highway 52 North

Mt. Holly, SC 29461

(843) 722-1340

http://www.yorkgreenbizconference.com

http://www.charlestonsteelandmetal.com

www.RecyclonomicsSC.com38

cover Story

A Sonoco Recycling employee watches over plastic jugs. The company collects materials worldwide. (Photo/Jeff Blake)


cover Story

year, nothing else was going to landfill, and more than 1

million pounds of waste had been recycled.

For Fruit of the Loom, the effort to get buy-in from

employees at work spilled over into the community. The

distribution center also provided materials for employees

to take home to encourage recycling there, too.

Fruit of the Loom was recognized by Sonoco Recycling

of Hartsville as a gold-tier Sonoco Sustainability Star for

going landfill free. A subsidiary of packaging giant Sonoco,

Sonoco Recycling is a big player in the recycling movement

worldwide. The parent company works toward zero waste

to landfill in its own facilities and developed the Sonoco

Sustainability Star program to encourage the same from its

customers.

Worldwide, Sonoco Recycling annually collects more

than 3 million tons of corrugated containers, paper, metals

and plastics, according to spokesman Robin Montgomery.

Milliken, one of the state’s most venerable companies,

was out front early in the zero waste movement, even be-

fore terms like “zero waste to landfill” were being bandied

about. A manufacturer of textiles and related products, the

company adopted an environmental policy in 1990 that

established a goal of zero waste.

The company now diverts 99 percent of all waste away

from landfills and toward reuse and recycling, according

to the Milliken website. Again, the company relies on its

employees to get involved in the effort and find solutions

to waste problems.

A relative newcomer to the state’s manufacturing base,

Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation of Gaffney staked

a claim at being the nation’s first chassis manufacturer

and first company within the trucking industry to achieve

zero waste to landfill status.

The company was sending 250,000 pounds of waste per

month to the landfill when they set a zero-waste goal in

2007. By October of 2009, the goal was reached.

Freightliner “was able to achieve these results by the

continued efforts and diligence of all employees within

the company, and we continue to seek ways to reduce

our environmental impact in our facility and through our

products and alternative fuel efforts,” said Roger Nielsen,

COO at Daimler Trucks North America, parent company of

Freightliner Custom Chassis.

Zero waste to landfill, while relatively new, is on the

horizon for many companies as part of their sustainability

efforts.

BMW’s Green Team searches through employees’ own garbage to find items that could have been recycled. (Photo/BMW Manufacturing Co.)


smart Thinking

‘Good to be part of the solution’

By Ross Norton

To a fry cook, it’s one of the final tasks of a long shift

— disposing of a vat full of overused cooking oil,

often with remnants of batter and food. The smelly

oil can’t go down the sink or in the trash because it’s lousy

company for septic systems and landfills.

But the bane of a fry cook’s day is gold for Midlands Bio-

fuels and its customers. Since 2008, the Winnsboro com-

pany has converted spent cooking oil into biodiesel fuel.

Their product so far has replaced more than 2.5 million

gallons of petroleum diesel with a product once considered

waste.

Midlands Biofuels is one of a growing number of

companies finding ways to make good use of challenging

recyclables. Finding ways to reuse an aluminum can was

relatively easy. But other products were difficult: old mat-

tresses, oil filters and dead fluorescent lights, for example,

weren’t easily spun into another product.

For Midlands Biofuels co-owner and founder Joe Ren-

wick, the magic came in the challenge.

“It feels good to be part of the solution,” he said. “That’s

Joe Renwick, co-owner of Midlands Biofuels, takes a sample from a water purification system at the facility

in Winnsboro. The biodiesel is washed with water. (Photo/Jeff Blake)


smart Thinking

what we are all about — solving fuel problems and waste

problems.”

The first step in the fuel-making process — collecting

the oil — alleviates a problem for restaurant operators.

It also created another avenue to service the restaurant

industry. Midlands Biofuels provides cleaning and mainte-

nance of waste oil receptacles at restaurants. The company

has created 15 jobs for the state and has built a second

plant.

Midlands Biofuels sells directly to the public from its

downtown Winnsboro location or provides fuel by the

truckload to large users.

Another company putting a dent in the need for petro-

leum is Green Roof Outfitters of Charleston.

The company uses recycled plastic to manufacture con-

tainers for green roofs — modules that hold soil and living

plants on the rooftop, with benefits ranging from reduced

water runoff to energy savings and pollution reduction for

the building’s owner.

Owner Michael Whitfield designed his whole company

around green concepts, from practices in the shop to his

philosophy of doing business. Unlike other green roof sup-

pliers who require customers to buy the complete system,

he will sell the lightweight components to far-away cus-

tomers who can buy the growing media closer to home.

The modules that hold the plant life are made in the

Upstate from recycled plastic once bound for a landfill.

“It’s not as green to ship heavy plants across the coun-

try,” he said. “We have partnered with nurseries across the

country so if our customers want them grown out, they

can get them grown out there, so it’s greener and much

more cost effective.”

One old idea — recycling oyster shells — is now a much

better organized effort, and instead of using the shells as

building material, they’re going back to the environment.

Restaurants such as Pearlz Oyster Bar in West Ashley

collect the shells until they’re retrieved and secured by

Fisher Recycling of North Charleston. The state Depart-

ment of Natural Resources eventually returns the shells to

a marine environment for habitat restoration.

“We think it’s very important,” said Emmy Teague Scott,

marketing director for Pearlz Oyster Bar’s parent company.

“We’ve been doing some kind of recycling as long as we

have been in business. It’s important to us to give back to

the communities that nurture us.”

Oyster recycling is a challenge because of the odor and

weight, but Fisher Recycling owner Chris Fisher says re-

using the shells can reduce a restaurant’s waste stream by

25 percent. The cooperation of restaurants, recyclers and

state and federal agencies are making it work.

Others tackling tough recycling challenges include

Diversified Recycling of Rock Hill. The company, with a

second location in West Columbia, takes on some of the

messiest challenges in recycling such as used oil, anti-

freeze, solvents and fluorescent bulbs. Diversified recycles

about 3,600 tons of material annually, according to a report

A living roof tops a building in Charlotte. At right, sections of green roofing add to energy efficiency of a home. (Photos/Green Roof Outfitters)


smart Thinking

An old idea comes full circleA hundred years ago, South Carolinians knew what

was required to maintain oyster beds along the coast. In

the 1930s, 16 canneries produced thousands of gallons of

shucked oysters that were sent, often by ice-cooled railway

cars, to New York and other metropolitan areas.

The shells left behind were planted back on the state-

leased oyster beds in the summer to sustain the fishery. Shell

is crucial to the oyster’s life cycle as cultch, a place for oyster

larvae to attach and begin forming their own shells. After a

few months, an oyster may grow to be as large as your pinky

fingernail; in two to three years, the oyster will be around 3

inches long and ready to harvest.

The state’s last oyster cannery closed in 1986, due to labor

shortages and competition from canned oysters imported

from the Far East. South Carolina’s market changed to an in-

the-shell product largely consumed at backyard oyster roasts.

Instead of being stockpiled at the canneries, the oyster shells

were widely dispersed and found their way into landfills,

road beds and craft projects.

Recognizing that without planted shells, South Carolina

would soon have no oysters, the Department of Natural Re-

sources started its own oyster seed planting program in the

1980s. To address a chronic shortage of shells, DNR initiated a

recycling program in 2000. Since then 192,618 bushels of shell

have been intercepted and recycled, and 408,898 bushels

have been planted on shellfish grounds. (Some of the shell

comes from sources other than the recycling program.)

As recycling awareness grows, DNR has been able to re-

duce its dependence on out-of-state vendors and long-range

transport. Recycling now provides more than half of the

planting needs.

The Oyster Shell Recycling and Planting Program has set

up 27 oyster shell recycling drop-offs in coastal counties, and

DNR picks up shells from caterers on a regular basis.

by the S.C. Department of Commerce.

Company founder Don Burnette Sr. saw a growing prob-

lem in used oil filters and developed a crusher that ex-

tracts the oil and creates a briquette. Steel companies then

extract the metal from the briquette, most of which finds

its way to a new life in rebar, according to Don Burnette Jr.,

who helps run the company his father started.

On another front, previous hotel and furniture store

experience gave Ralph Bogan insight into the difficulties

associated with disposing of used mattresses. Because

they are designed to spring back, mattresses are particu-

larly greedy consumers of landfill space.

Bogan opened Nine Lives Mattress Recycling in Pampli-

co in 2006 and recycled more than 126 tons of mattresses

and box springs in the first year. He calculates that to date,

his company has saved 50,000 cubic yards of landfill space.

That first year’s haul of mattresses produced 33 tons of

metal, and many tons of recyclable wood, cotton and foam,

reducing the original 126 tons of landfill waste to 21 tons,

according to Bogan.


Quality, Reliability, Performance, & Service have been the tenets of Wellman Plastics Recycling (WPR) throughout its 40-Year

history and this dedication has allowed the company to grow into one of North America’s leading compounders and

suppliers of engineering and thermoplastic resins.

Learn more about all of our innovative product lines at www.wellmaner.com

RELIABILITY

PERFORMANCE

QUALITY

SERVICE

Wellman Engineering Resins offers a diverse selection of Nylon, Polyester and Polypropylene resin products built to fit any material need.

Wellman Plastics Recycling, via its EcoLon® Product Line, is the only Resin Compounder on the market to offer a 100% Post-Consumer Recycled product. Not tied to the fluctuating price of oil, yet still meeting all of your nylon product specifications, EcoLon has quickly found a niche in the thermoplastic marketplace as the perfect raw material solution for

the customer who desires to make a product that is: • Cost-effective • High quality • Eco-friendly

OYSTER SHELL RECYLINGBy the numbers

192,618Number of bushels of oyster shells reclaimed

and recycled in S.C. since 2000

408,898Number of bushels of oyster shells planted

on S.C. shellfish grounds since 2000

27Number of oyster recycling drop-off

points in S.C. coastal counties

74Number of state and public shellfish grounds

where recreational harvesting is allowed

The desire to keep waste out of landfills drives a lot of

companies and has led to an industry of people motivated

to help the rest of us live more waste free.

Companies like WasteZero in Murrells Inlet partner with

municipalities across the country to create savings and

sometimes produce revenue by reducing waste.

WasteZero provides waste reduction programs that

increase recycling. Programs include customized plastic

trash bags that allow users to created a color-coded system

of recycling.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

For information about advertising in SCBIZ, call Steve Fields at 843.849.3110.

Your media source for statewide business news.


http://www.wellmaner.com


Paper Industry RepresentativeRonnie Grant, RMDAC ChairSonoco RecyclingEmail: [email protected]

Municipalities RepresentativeEd Marr, RMDAC Vice-ChairGreater Greenville Sanitation CommissionEmail: [email protected]

Plastics Industry RepresentativePhil AmmonsPlastics Provider, Inc.Email: [email protected]

Aluminum Industry RepresentativeLarry McCaskillAlcoa Mt. HollyEmail: [email protected]

General Public RepresentativeKristen BrownMY ECOEmail: [email protected]

Glass Industry RepresentativeKira RoffFisher Recycling – Grand StrandEmail: [email protected]

Solid Waste Industry RepresentativeNorman ChandlerRepublic, Inc.Email: [email protected]

Tire Industry RepresentativeDan ChuyMichelin North America, Inc.Email: [email protected]

County Government RepresentativeVic CarpenterKershaw CountyEmail: [email protected]

SC Department of Commerce RepresentativeWes WestbrooksBMWEmail: [email protected]

Petroleum Industry RepresentativeEddie HookSafety-Kleen CorporationEmail: [email protected]

Higher Education Research RepresentativeDonna LondonClemson UniversityJim Self Center on the FutureEmail: [email protected]

Recycling Industry RepresentativeGlenn OdomWellman Plastics RecyclingEmail: [email protected]

RECYCLING MARKET DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCILMembers appointed by the governor represent various interests in South Carolina’s recycling business.

smart Resources

Tina Green Huskey, ChairRecycling and Waste Specialist for Mumford Industries

Ronnie Grant, First Vice-ChairSenior Account Representative for Sonoco

Elizabeth Garrison, Second Vice-ChairPresident of Ever-Green Recycling

Kristen Brown, TreasurerPresident of MyEco

Nancy Ogburn, SecretaryPresident of Tomato Palms, LLC

Steve ZagorskiVice President of US Fibers

Donna LondonJim Self Center on the Future

Gerry FishbeckVice President of United Resource Recovery Corporation

Parris HicksMarketing and Advertising Manager for Leigh Fibers

George Fletcher, RecyclonomicsSC Executive DirectorFormer Executive Director of New Carolina

Board of Directors



smart Resources

S.C. Recycling CouncilMembers

ACI Plastics

Adams Scrap Recycling, LLC

Alcoa

Alfa Enterprises USA Inc.

Carolina Interior Demolition Specialties Inc.

Carolina Waste Solutions Inc.

Cedar Green and Associates

Ceres-SC, LLC

Davco Steel Inc.

Ever-Green Recycling

Greater Greenville Sanitation Commission

Horry County Solid Waste Authority

Clemson University – Jim Self Center on the Future

Johnson’s Garbage Service Inc.

Mumford Industries Inc.

Plastics Provider Inc.

Recover Inc.

Republic Services

Resource Recycling Systems

S.C.’s Council on Competitiveness

S.C. Department of Commerce

Southeastern Plastics Recovery Inc.

Southpaw Marketing Group

Tomato Palms, LLC

Total Product Destruction

United Resource Recovery Corporation

U.S. Fibers

Viva Recycling of South Carolina, LLC

WasteZero

Recycling Businesses in S.C.For a list of businesses involved in the state’s recycling

efforts, go to www.recyclinginsc.com/directory

and follow directions there.

Other resourcesAsphalt Rubber Technology Servicewww.ces.clemson.edu/arts

Habitat for Humanity ReStoreswww.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx

Keep America Beautifulwww.kab.org

Palmetto Pridewww.palmettopride.org

S.C. Business Networkhttp://sccommerce.com/sc-business-network

S.C. Department of Commercewww.sccommerce.com

S.C. Department of Commerce -

Recycling Market Development Programwww.recyclinginsc.com

S.C. Department of Commerce Recycling Directorywww.recyclinginsc.com/directory

S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control-Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recyclingwww.scdhec.gov/recycle

S.C. Materials Exchangewww.scdhec.gov/scme

S.C. Recycling Market Development Advisory Councilwww.recyclinginsc.com/rmdac

S.C. Smart Business Recycling Programwww.scdhec.gov/environment/lwm/recycle/smart_business/index.htm

Sustainability Indexwww.scdhec.gov/environment/admin/CES/cesindex.htm

Solid Waste Association of North America – SC Chapterhttp://scswana.org

S.C. Energy Officewww.energy.sc.gov

S.C. Biomass Councilwww.scbiomass.org

S.C. Green Building Directorywww.scgreenbuildingdirectory.org

S.C. Sustainability Institutewww.sustainabilityinstitutesc.org

U.S. Green Building Council – SC Chapterwww.usgbcsc.org

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov



smart Product

What happens to all those plastic bottles South Carolinians recycle?

At least some of them are turned into REPREVE, a fiber made from

recycled materials, including post-consumer plastic bottles. The fiber

is then used to make high quality fabrics and other products. Here are

some of the cool products made with REPREVE. (Photos/REPREVE)

A fleece jacket from the durable, soft Polartec® 300 series is made with more than 70% REPREVE content and uses 40 bottles in each garment.

By using REPREVE, Ford saved over 2 million bottles from the landfill. REPREVE was chosen for the 2012 and 2013 Ford Focus Electric and a number of the 2013 Fusion models.

This year, more than 760,000 grads from nearly 500 schools turned the tassel in green gowns made with REPREVE.

Lauren Conrad’s XO(eco) line by Blue Avocado marks the first celebrity portfolio designed with REPREVE and includes nearly 20 food-on-the-go, travel and cosmetic storage accessories.


US Fibers diverts everyday waste like water

bottles into �ber that can be used for �ltra-

tion, home furnishings and the automotive

industry. The company purchases waste, scrap and

off-grade materials and then recycles those into us-

able �ber.

The company started as a broker for compos-

ite materials, expanded into recycling and now is

growing into a �ber manufacturer. “Our company is

evolving,” said Steve Zagorski, vice president of new

business development.

Since President Edward Oh founded the busi-

ness in 1994, it has grown signi�cantly and this year

announced plans to expand its polyester recycling

operation in Trenton, South Carolina, creating almost

50 new jobs.

The company doubled its capacity in 2010 both in

terms of employees and a facility expansion and is

doubling again in 2012, Zagorski said.

Much of the growth can be attributed to the fact

recycled �ber is simply less expensive than virgin

�ber, so companies are interested in purchasing a

recycled product, he said.

For example, US Fibers recycles off-color materi-

als, creating both light and dark �bers. So customers

in the automotive industry will take the black �ber,

blend it with white and make a felt material to line

trunks, Zagorski explained. That product – which

started out as a water bottle – is a less expensive op-

tion for auto makers.

Recycled �ber is also used for landscaping fabric,

as mattress and furniture stuf�ng, and turned into air

�lters.

What would help companies like US Fibers grow

even more is a higher rate of recycling among the

general public. “There’s a lot of competiveness in

buying materials,” Zagorski said. “If we can get the re-

cycling rates up and more materials for the industry,

it helps everybody.”

He pointed out that 75% of water bottles end up in

land�lls, but those make a “wonderful raw material for

us. They have excellent properties for turning into �ber.”

US Fibers

30 Pine House Rd

Trenton. SC 29847

803-275-5023

www.us�bers.com

Excellence through innovation

Advertisement


®


Recyclonomics SC

Documents

Transcript of Recyclonomics SC