Happy Earth Day From Quincy Recycle!
Here at Quincy Recycle, Earth Day and what it stands for is kind of a big deal. After all, our business is built around finding solutions to help our clients and communities reduce waste and achieve sustainability. Read on to learn more about one of our favorite holidays and how we try to treat every day like it’s Earth Day.
Earth Day History
April 22, 1970 – New York, NY
On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans decided enough was enough. Frustrated with environmental crises of the time (oil spills, smog, river pollution), 10% of the U.S. population set out to demand a new way forward for our planet. Environmental ignorance was no longer an option, and something needed to be done to help right the course. Some pretty amazing things came as a result of the first-ever Earth Day.
“The Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts were created in response to the first Earth Day in 1970, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many countries soon adopted similar laws.” — EarthDay.org
Do you know another great thing to come out of the first Earth Day? You guessed it, RECYCLING! While recycling has been around for a long, long time – Earth Day and the resulting environmental movement helped shape recycling as we know and love it today.
Climate Action
Every year Earth Day has a specific theme and this year’s theme is climate action. We see and hear about it almost daily in the news. It is a modern, top-of-mind issue that we for one feel pretty strongly about. Recycling has a direct impact on our environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each American generates over 1,600 pounds of waste in a year. That’s a big number! Years ago, we recognized the need to help limit the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill each day. Here are three services we offer that creatively help manufacturers reduce waste and limit their environmental impact.
1. Reuse
From Gaylord Boxes to Plastic and Fiber Drums, Quincy Recycle helps manufacturers put their scrap waste to better use. Use us as a resource to find a new and unique application for your scrap material, giving you an additional revenue stream and reducing your landfill costs. We create a win-win situation, allowing you to earn on materials that we take off your hands.
2. Food ByProduct
At Quincy Recycle, we work with food manufacturers to set up a program that diverts waste and turns it into animal feed products and ingredients. Quincy Farm Products is a food byproducts solutions provider, a buyer of industrial by-products, and a feed blender.
3. Recycling
This one seems like a no-brainer, but it’s the core of what we do. Quincy Recycle offers total recycling and waste stream solutions for postindustrial material. We handle paper waste, plastic waste, and metal waste, and customize plans to keep your waste out of landfills, reuse them in creative new applications, and help limit your business’s environmental impact.
A great example is our plastic recycling service. Many large companies have shifted their focus to using as much post-consumer recycled content as possible in the products they use (think soda bottles). Quincy Recycle plays a big part in helping produce the recycled plastic material these manufacturers are using for their products. Closed-loop programs like this help drive progress toward sustainability and we’re proud to play our part.
Everyone (and anyone) can make a difference
There is so much we can all do to help the environment through recycling. We live and breathe it every day at Quincy Recycle, but you may be asking yourself what you can do to help. Well, if you are an industrial manufacturer looking to reduce your waste stream, give us a call. We’d love to partner with you to help achieve your waste reduction and sustainability goals. Because we take a custom approach with each customer, we can come up with a solution that best fits your needs. Quincy Recycle has a large network that spans from coast to coast. So no matter where you are, we can help!
While we focus on postindustrial recycling and waste reduction, we know that awareness starts at home. If you’re new to recycling or looking for more ways to make an impact, then be sure to check out the EPA’s website. They have a ton of great resources available and we think it’s a great place to start!
So, as we celebrate Earth Day 2021, let’s all remember that together we can make an impact and help the environment. Happy Earth Day!
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Your Partner in Recycling Commingled Plastic Loads
Quincy Recycle is your Partner in Commingled Plastic Loads
Managing single stream and dual stream residential is not an easy part of the industry. However, with a partner like Quincy Recycle who has an Optical Sort Line in Quincy, IL we can add value to your commingled and unsorted rigid container pack.
Why Choose Quincy Recycle for Commingled Plastic?
Quincy Recycle is equipped to handle your 1-7’s pack and any other combination of those containers efficiently. Their advanced sorting “Optical Sort Line” can process a variety of plastic types, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and more. This capability eliminates the need for Material Recovery Facilities (MRF’s), buy back-centers, and municipal and residential collection programs to separate plastics before disposal, allowing them to streamline their operations and focus on their core activities.
Expertise in Handling Diverse Plastic Materials
Commingled plastics can consist of #1’s, #2’s, #3’s, #4’s, #5’s, #6’s, and other rigid containers. Quincy Recycle’s experience in dealing with different grades and forms of plastic ensures that these materials are processed correctly and responsibly. By leveraging industry expertise, they maximize the amount of recyclable material and minimize waste, providing an eco-friendly solution that aligns with sustainable business practices.
Simplified Logistics with Pickup Services
One of the biggest challenges in managing commingled plastic is logistics. Quincy Recycle addresses this by offering flexible pickup options. Their fleet can pick up loads of commingled directly from your facility. This simplifies the entire waste management process and helps businesses and organizations to maintain continuity without the hassle of coordinating various recycling efforts.
Cost-Effective and Efficient Processing
Sorting and recycling commingled plastic internally can be costly, requiring specialized equipment and additional labor. By partnering with Quincy Recycle, businesses can avoid these expenses. Quincy Recycle provides a cost-effective solution by taking on the unsorted and sorted packs, and processing operations allowing vendors to reduce operational costs and increase efficiency.
Commitment to Sustainability and Business Value
While sustainability is an essential focus, Quincy Recycle’s approach emphasizes the business value of effective recycling. By turning what would be waste into a reusable resource, they help companies and organizations not only reduce landfill use but also extract maximum value from their waste streams. This creates opportunities for vendors to turn their plastic waste into revenue or savings, aligning environmental responsibility with business profitability.
Partner with a Trusted Industry Leader
With years of experience, Quincy Recycle has built a reputation as a dependable partner for businesses across various sectors, from manufacturing to retail. Their ability to handle diverse and complex waste streams makes them an ideal choice for vendors looking for an efficient, one-stop recycling solution. By partnering with Quincy Recycle, businesses, municipalities, and other organizations can be confident that their commingled plastics are being managed with expertise and care.
Learn more about how Quincy Recycle can simplify your waste management and maximize the value of your plastic recycling efforts by contacting us today!
How a Baler Can Transform Your Organization’s Waste Management
Bulk material waste can be hard to manage, especially when employees spend valuable time on organization, clean up, and removal.
Companies that manually handle materials like paper, cardboard, plastic, or metal scraps are likely familiar with the struggles of incorporating waste management into regular business operations.
By investing in an industrial recycling baler, your business could free up THOUSANDS of hours each year spent on manually handling waste streams.
Let’s look into specific situations where companies like yours can use a baler to transform your organization’s waste management.
How a Recycling Baler can Improve Waste Management
Situation 1: Excessive Waste Handling Costs
A mid-sized packaging manufacturer struggles with escalating waste handling costs. The company frequently contracts waste haulers to dispose of loose cardboard and plastic film.
Solution: After integrating a closed-door baler into their operations, the manufacturer compacts waste material into dense, easy-to-transport bales.
Outcome: Compacted bales reduce the volume of waste and frequency of waste pickups, and the manufacturer saves on waste management expenses and disposal fees.
Situation 2: Lost Revenue Opportunities
A regional distribution center manages large volumes of return goods packaging. Unknown to them, this “waste” contains untapped revenue potential.
Solution: By leasing two vertical balers one for cardboard and one for plastic, the DC can separate, bale, and move material quickly and effectively.
Outcome: Baled materials are purchased at fair market value by a recycling company and turned into an additional revenue stream for the distribution center.
Situation 3: Environmental Regulations Non-compliance
A bottled beverage manufacturer faces penalties due to failure to comply with environmental regulations related to waste management.
Solution: By implementing a waste management plan with a high-capacity horizontal baler, the company can divert plastic waste from landfills and ensure they meet regulatory standards.
Outcome: Proactive green initiatives mitigate the risk of penalties and promote the company’s reputation as an environmentally responsible business.
Situation 4: Inefficient Use of Space and Safety Hazards
A large company faces challenges with its retailer stores having limited space for waste management. Safety concerns arise due to the accumulation of cardboard and packaging materials on the warehouse floors.
Solution: Installing a vertical cardboard baler at each retail site allows the retailers with limited space to manage waste on-site promptly, freeing up valuable space and reducing the risk of accidents.
Outcome: The company contributes to overall cleaner and safer work environments.
Situation 5: Workers Spend Hours Dealing with Loose Waste Materials
Workers at a packaging plant spend hours flattening corrugated cardboard boxes and manually tying them together. A substantial amount of valuable labor time is spent managing waste streams.
Solution: Balers automate the process of waste compaction to remove the need for workers to engage in time-consuming, manual flattening and binding of boxes.
Outcome: The baler does the heavy lifting, baling waste fast and freeing up the team to focus on core operations.
Successful waste management for your business doesn’t have to be hypothetical.
At Quincy Recycle, we believe in transforming the challenge of waste management into an opportunity for your business. We evaluate your company’s waste production and management practices by conducting on-site audits. Our hands-on approach allows us to recommend recycling equipment, such as industrial balers, that will work for your waste output and budget.
We have helped companies nationwide turn the concept of successful waste management into a tangible reality.
Are you interested in learning more about vertical or horizontal industrial balers? Contact our Equipment General Manager, Tom, at (260) 494.5676 or [email protected].
Maximizing Your Industrial Baler’s Lifespan
The Importance of High-Quality Servicing by Quincy Recycle
We could start this blog by saying that industrial balers need maintenance to maximize their lifespan like any piece of equipment – but you probably already knew that. Instead, we’d like to focus on the quality of the service you trust to maintain your equipment.
Equipment jams, oil puddles, and gaps between parts don’t usually happen suddenly. Over time, minor issues become big problems. By the time they’ve become noticeable, it could be too late to avoid a costly repair.
Prevent unexpected repairs and downtime by working with a high-quality, reliable partner to service your industrial baler. Our technicians use advanced diagnostic tools and pay attention to the small details so signs of wear and tear and potential problems don’t go unnoticed. High-quality preventative maintenance is important, and here’s why you can expect just that from Quincy Recycle.
Quincy Recycle works with our customers to establish a quick and convenient preventative maintenance schedule.
We understand maintenance and repair downtime can interrupt daily processes. Our team works with clients to schedule monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, or yearly inspections in advance so you can prepare for maintenance checks. Equipment manufacturer, type, model, usage, and input/output volume determine how often you should service your vertical or horizontal baler for peak performance.
In the event that an issue occurs unexpectedly or major repairs are needed, we offer baler and recycling equipment for sale, lease, or rent to keep your daily processes moving smoothly. Rental options are in stock, so we can respond quickly when our clients need temporary or long-term contract equipment solutions.
Scheduled preventative maintenance helps protect baler and employee safety.
You may not initially connect equipment maintenance with workplace safety, but preventive care helps provide a safe working environment for employees regarding baler function. A functioning, well-maintained baler is less likely to pose safety risks, allowing employees to operate or work around it without worrying about sudden malfunctions that could lead to accidents or injuries.
We also believe that an informed team is a safe and efficient one. We encourage you and your employees to ask questions during inspections. Along with being skilled technicians, our team is made up of educators ready to share their knowledge about new features, best practices, and a deeper understanding of equipment mechanics. We want you to see Quincy Recycle as a partner in your waste management and recycling equipment processes, so we provide our clients with the equipment training they need to be safe and succeed.
Identify baler warning signs of potential issues or breakdowns before they become serious problems.
The first step in preventive care is understanding the warning signs. By identifying potential problems before they occur, businesses can reduce downtime and repair costs.
Industrial balers often give off warning signs (some subtle) that suggest they may be experiencing issues or on the verge of a potential malfunction.
Here are common indicators to look out for:
Unusual Noise Levels: Increased noise or sudden sounds that are out of the ordinary, such as banging, scraping, or grinding, can indicate that parts within the baler are worn out or misaligned.
Decreased Output Efficiency: If the baler starts to process materials slower than usual or requires more cycles to complete tasks previously done quickly, a problem with the machine’s efficiency is usually to blame.
Blockages: Baler chambers can become blocked with debris and waste materials. Safely remove any excess buildup in or around the machine. Check your equipment’s user manual for instructions on how to clean your baler safely.
Inconsistent Bale Sizes or Weights: Bale dimensions or weight variations are often a symptom of issues with the machine’s settings or wear and tear in its compression mechanisms.
Increased Energy Usage: An unexplained spike in energy consumption can suggest that the baler is straining to perform its basic functions, possibly due to mechanical issues.
Visible Wear and Tear: Regular inspections might reveal frayed wires, hydraulic leaks, loose bolts, or cracks in the equipment. Visible damage is a clear indicator that parts may need to be repaired or replaced.
Safety and Emergency Stops Engaging More Frequently: If the baler’s safety features or emergency stops activate more often than normal without clear reasons, an underlying problem could need immediate attention.
Error Messages or Alarms: Modern balers are equipped with diagnostic systems that display error messages or sound alarms when the equipment malfunctions. Noting these alerts and responding promptly can prevent more severe damage.
Our technicians perform routine diagnostic and visual checks to ensure everything is running as it should, but you or your employees should also monitor equipment performance between maintenance checks. Recognizing indicators early on allows Quincy Recycle to address issues before they become significant problems, protecting the investment you’ve made in your recycling equipment.
Protect Your Investment with High-Quality Servicing from Quincy Recycle
Taking proactive steps to maintain your industrial baler ensures it remains a reliable asset in your recycling and waste management plans.
At Quincy Recycle, we help businesses maximize the lifespan of their industrial balers through high-quality servicing. Our team provides the expertise and support to keep your recycling operations running smoothly, safely, and efficiently.
To schedule regular inspections or immediate repairs, call Quincy Recycle at 800.311.6097 or contact us online.