2007 Recycling Report

One of our Working Members does weekly recycling runs to the transfer station here in Belfast to recycle the following materials in the following quantities:

• Paperboard, generated mostly from the Grocery and Gen. Merch depts:  4 banana boxes
• Aluminum cans, generated mostly from the Deli:  1 banana box
• Office paper: 1 garbage bag
• Brown paper: 1 garbage bag
• Newspaper, magazines, and catalogs:  2 banana boxes
• Some paper packing material:  1 garbage bag
• Plastic jugs, bottles, and containers, generated mostly from the Deli: ½ garbage bag
• Glass bottles and jars, generated mostly from the Deli:  ½ garbage bag

Other regularly recycled materials include

• Weekly removal of about a dumpster worth of cardboard, which is picked up for recycling by Pine Tree.
• Styrofoam peanuts and other packing materials are collected and recycled by local vendors for use in the shipping of their own products
• Food wastes from Deli production, as well as coffee grounds, are taken home by staff members for composting. 
• Empty 5 gallon plastic buckets from the Bulk dept. are available for sale ($1.50) and get snapped up almost as soon as they are emptied

Items that have been recycled from our expansions and remodelings this year:

• Copper piping from old compressor room recycled in Bangor
• The insulation from the old compressor room is being stored downstairs to be recycled if necessary in the future.
• 3 of 3 old coolers sold to be used by other businesses and individuals 

E-waste report:

            As a business, it is hard for us to recycle our hazardous waste because we are unable to take it to the transfer station.  We are not eligible to take materials to the hazardous waste collection day, as this event is sponsored for households, not for businesses, or so we have been told.  In any case, Phil, Facilities Co-ordinator was able to recycle 3 or 4 old computer monitors at the transfer station after begging the attendant to take them.  We have a growing collection of compact florescent bulbs in the basement, and are researching where we can ship them to be recycled for a reasonable price.  Interestingly, most old computer and telephone parts get recycled in-house as computers and phones break and/or need replacing. 

Other items that could be recycled if someone would just come and take them away!:

• Used bulk spice jars are available for sale
• Used bulk oil containers are free to whomever can find a use for them
• Old bulk gravity bins are available for sale for $5
• Various other racks and containers become available for sale when we no longer have a use for them.