MONTANA TECH WINS FACEBOOK CONTEST

Congratulations to our Winner of $5,000 in Busch Systems Recycling Bins!

An exciting accomplishment for the Midwest Region! Montana Tech who landed a spot in our top 3 finalists for their campus recycling logo, came out on top winning the grand prize of $5000 in Busch recycling bins! The University Of Illinois At Chicago also one of our 3 finalists, received the highest number of votes for their creative logo, and were awarded $1000 in recycling containers for their tremendous efforts! The contest ran as a lead up to the “Recyclemania” national campaign which promotes recycling across college and university campuses.

With the decision to purchase 251 desk-side recycling containers and 4 outdoor super sorter recycling bins with their winnings, Montana Tech is confident recycling rates among campus will increase. Founded in 1900, Montana Tech of the University of Montana boasts a campus comprised of four colleges and schools located in Butte, Montana. The student body of almost 3000 is enrolled in studies varying from engineering to liberal arts.

PROMOTIONS

I don’t want you to miss out on any of our monthly promotions – so please be sure to check out our promotions page regularly.  Here is the link to add to your favorites:

http://www.buschsystems.com/Promotions.html

To ensure you automatically receive notifying emails be sure to join our email list!

Welcome to the KidZone for Sustainable Kids!

Kids Recycle Too! Children are our future and teaching them the importance and skill of recycling at an early age will help ensure the longevity of our planet. Our new “KidZone” line of recycling containers is made specifically with kids in mind. Made up of familiar primary colors, these bright and kid-friendly recycling bins are sure to be a hit in schools!

Don’t forget to check out our Recycling for Kids Resource page. This page is aimed at educating children about recycling, while having a great time in the process!  Full of activities and useful learning tools such as coloring pages and certificates, educating these recycling rookies will be a breeze!

LOOK WHAT YOUR NEIGHBOR DID!

 A  Journey to Zero Waste – Piazza Produce shares their story

After a long-term commitment, Piazza Produce proves zero –waste is in fact achievable! Although their success didn’t happen overnight, their end result demonstrates hard work and dedication pays off in more ways than one.

In 2005 their sustainable efforts took off. Following high waste bills, Facilities Manager Scott Lutocka took it upon himself to have a waste audit preformed. This examination revealed their waste stream could be reduced as much as 50% if alterations were made to their collection, ensuring recyclable material was in fact recycled, and not discarded as waste. Knowing this, they began first with diverting cardboard out of the waste stream and instead recycled it.

These simple modifications significantly reduced their waste stream, and the amount of cardboard that was taken directly to the paper mill actually produced income for the company.

Realizing the benefits that come with recycling, in 2009 Piazza Produce changed waste removal companies in an effort to further reduce their costs. To assist with this goal, they implemented an office paper recycling program, mixed recycling program and partnered with both RockTenn and ITW Angleboard for cardboard and plastics recycling, receiving funds for submitted materials.

Adapting this comprehensive recycling program proved to pay off in April 2011, when Piazza Produce achieved an 85% reduction in their waste stream.  This success motivated them to act even further, joining the Indiana Recycling Coalition in July 2011. After attending a national recycling convention sponsored by the IRC, Scott participated in a Zero Waste Seminar that took place in Indianapolis.  Initially going into the conference unfamiliar with the concept “Zero Waste”, he quickly realized it was an achievable goal for his organization.  Shortly after, Piazza Produce was given their compost permit though IDEM (Indiana Department of Environmental Management) allowing them to formally launch a composting program for their organics on November 1^st, 2011. Only two months later in December 2011, they successfully achieved zero waste.

In honor of Earth Day, Piazza Produce continues their devotion to our environment by sponsoring an employee electronic recycling program, whereby staff can bring in old electronics for proper disposal.

Piazza’s Zero Waste status has generated more than $46,000 in income, which negated its expenditures for the year and produced a profit of $30,000. We’d like to Congratulate Scott and his team for their achievement and inspiration! Thanks to Scott Lutocka for kindly submitting this story.

Bun in the Oven!      

That’s Right …Your Customer Service Rep Holly, is pleased to announce the arrival of her first baby this fall!

Excited for her little one on the way, she is choosing to keep the sex of the baby a surprise until birth!  So, which will it be… pink or blue? Stay tuned for our next edition to receive additonal baby updates!

E-waste is now the fastest growing component of the municipal solid waste stream. With people upgrading electronics such as mobile phones at a higher rate than ever before, recycling efforts are extremely important. Finding appropriate bins for this customized collection can be a challenge. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be difficult any more.

This article shows how your electronics recycling program can be made simple and effective:

http://www.buschsystems.com/news/2011/12/busch-systems-offers-to-customize-recycle-bins-into-cell-phone-recycling-containers/

We use these words often in our industry, but do you really know what their true meaning is?  You may be surprised!

E-WASTE = Any discarded electronic or electrical devices or their parts; also called electronic waste

GREEN ENERGY = Electricity, power or fuel that is derived from renewable and sustainable sources – that is, sources we won’t run out of – without damaging the environment on a long-term basis.

Did you know?

Electronic waste (e-waste) now makes up five percent of all municipal solid waste, making it almost equal to the amount of plastic packaging in our landfills.

Large volumes of electronics also mean large volumes of batteries. Don’t let battery collection get you burned out! Using a Battery Collection Bin is a simple and effective solution to your collection needs.

See What YOU Shared Last Quarter

Q – “I love your stackable Multi Recycler containers. In addition to collecting recyclables, we also use them in our child care facility to store toys and art supplies. Great products!”

-D.M., Chicago, IL

Dear D.M.,

I am delighted to hear that!  The Multi Recyclers are definitely living up to their name.  I love hearing about the different ways people are using this container. I have a stack of three in my laundry room that I use for my sewing material and other odds and ends. Way to go D.M. in Chicago!

Sincerely,

Donna Hovey

Q - “With tax season upon us, what would you recommend for collecting private documents? Security is important for us and we need a convenient solution. Thanks!”

-S.L., Minneapolis, MN

Dear S.L.,

This is a fantastic question and security, especially this time of year is very important. Busch Systems offers a secure collection line. The DuraFlex Console has a 70-80 lbs capacity and is great for an office environment. If you run a home business the PDC (Personal Document Container) may be the perfect fit. We also have the Shredinator, which is available in three sizes 16, 20 & 23 gallon and offers a tamper proof lid. Specifications on these products can be obtained on our website.  http://www.buschsystems.com/recycling-container-bin-cart-products/confidential-document-destruction-bins

Sincerely,

Donna Hovey

Q – “I loved the bottle recycling container that you featured. How many would I need to order to get them customized?”

-C.R., St. Louis, MO

Dear C.R.,

Excellent question! Would you believe that you can order as little as one Big Bottle Recycler and have it customized to fit your program? That’s right just one. Now anyone can highlight their recycling program, school, company etc… Recycling and customization has never been easier. Thanks for your interest.

Sincerely,

Donna Hovey
Questions:

Do you have a question you would like answered about our containers or recycling programs?  Please email me directly and I will be happy to reply with an answer – I will then feature your question and my answer in the next issue of the Midwest Recyclers Digest.

Share:

Have you come across an interesting article or fact that you would like to share?  Send it my way and I would be happy to include it in upcoming editions.

Ideas:

Is there a product idea or modification you have in mind?  I would love to hear all about it!

For all your feedback, please email me:  donnah@buschsystems.com

One of the biggest problems in getting kids excited about recycling is the containers themselves. Commonly used colors such as blue and gray are standard in the industry. However, they do little to foster an environment which is either exciting or fun for kids. If you are running a recycling program that involves children, think about adding a splash of color to your recycling bins and see what it does for your program.

Recycling can be serious business. It is an important component of the “Three R’s” and encouraging children to start at a young age goes a long way to increased sustainability. However, just because recycling is important, doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Thanks to innovative thinkers in the recycling industry, there are now recycling containers available which make recycling exciting and appealing for kids of all ages.

The standard 3 stream recycling station is now available in primary colors which feature stickers and an easy-to-use design that helps kids understand the importance of separating recyclables in a fun way. Let’s face it, knowing which recyclables go in which bins can be daunting even for adults. Therefore, by making recycling simple, we can help ensure recycling among children is as easy as possible. The use of bright colors, cartoon characters and simple signage can go a long way to simplifying recycling for kids.

Here’s how it works: by using recycling bins splashed with familiar primary colors such as yellow, blue and red, you can help make recycling stations easy to recognize for children. After all, these colors blend well into a school’s environment. In addition, bright colors, stickers and signs can help point the way to a clean sort. The key is to keep things simple. By using primary colors and basic signage, we can avoid the pratfalls of over-thinking our recycling message. Signage which is laden with text and images may not easily convey the message of your recycling program. However, using simple colors and openings can help direct kids to recycle. It really is that simple!

Give it a try. If your recycling program is not all it can be, consider kid-friendly recycling bins as an option. If you make recycling bins so simple that even a child can use them, you may just find the adults fall in line.

Montana Tech just received the recycling bins won through the recent Busch Systems Like the Logo Campus Recycling Logo Contest and we are simply thrilled.  We received four Outdoor Super Sorter Series bins and they are so attractive, sturdy and simple to use with the labeled openings.  Everyone just wants to try them out (which is a good thing).  Outdoor recycling will be a first for Montana Tech because we have never had funding to purchase receptacles rugged enough to tolerate Montana’s harsh winters until now. These four outdoor sorters will be strategically located throughout the campus to incorporate several buildings’ usage per bin.

We also ordered 251 blue 28-quart bins with a Mobius loop that will be located in 30 computer labs across campus, and nearly every individual office on campus.  The exceptional quality of these bins will easily withstand day-to-day use for many, many years to come.

Without a doubt recycling at Montana Tech will increase through the use of your superior products.  Our 15-year recycling program has finally evolved from labeled cardboard boxes to quality products that will take us into the future of sustainability.  Busch Systems has done that for Montana Tech.

Many, many thanks from all of us at Montana Tech and especially the Montana Tech Recycling Committee.  Words just cannot express our gratitude for instituting such a contest and allowing us to move our recycling program into the future so I would like to thank you personally.  THANK YOU

S.R.

Montana Tech

Busch Systems is growing! Please note that Busch Systems will be moving into our new location as of May 1, 2012. The new address is here:

81 Rawson Ave.

Barrie, Ontario L4N 6E5

Busch Systems will be holding a MOVING SALE on Saturday, April 28th from 8:00am until 12:00 noon. In addition to office furniture, over-stock items, recycling, compost and waste bins, there wil also be a local shredding truck in the parking lot offering to shred personal documents for only $10/box!

This is going to be a great chance to pick up some excellent items from the current Busch location (and get your personal documents shredded as well!).

Regardless of whether documents need to be collected and stored for in-house office shredding or to be professionally destroyed, the secure bins provide a solution for sensitive paper collection in the office, school or home.

“During tax season, there is an increase in the amount of confidential documents in our workplaces and homes”, states Serena Brooks, Sales Manager for Busch Systems. “By providing a secure collection solution, we hope to provide a means to safely collect and store documents until they can be destroyed”.

Sensitive documents which are stored in open recycling bins provide a security risk for businesses as well as individuals.

“Identity theft is a very real threat”, states Brooks. “Using lockable bins is a much safer solution to help combat sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands”.

The DuraFlex console is a melamine cabinet which can securely hold up to 80 pounds of documents. For smaller collection solutions, Busch offers the Shredinator, which comes in three sizes, as well as the Personal Document Container (PDC), which fits either beside or under a desk.

To visit the Busch Systems secure document collection container page, please see: http://www.buschsystems.com/recycling-container-bin-cart-products/confidential-document-destruction-bins

For additional information or a sample copy, contact:

Chris McBrien
Busch Systems International

(705) 722-0806 – office
(705) 722-8972 – fax
chrism@buschsystems.com
http://www.buschsystems.com

Busch Systems International, Recycling Made Simple.

An industry leader for over twenty five years, Busch Systems has expanded internationally, with a product portfolio detailing upward of two hundred products. Busch Systems develops more new molded recycling, waste and compost containers than all other manufacturers combined.

# # #

Implementing a “shred everything” policy is a great idea for any company, office, school or residence. Ensuring that sensitive documents are securely destroyed helps reduce the threat of identity theft. Equally important, by shredding all documents, you help reduce your liability. Rather than put yourself, your clients or the members of your organization at risk, you can help provide a secure environment where paper is shredded and risk is minimized. A final benefit of shredding everything ensures all paper is recycled. Shredding is a great way to be green!

When choosing to shred documents at your location, one key aspect to consider is the issue of paper collection. If you implement a shred policy, it doesn’t lend well to collect paper in an unsecured manner. For example, if your office collects paper in open, desk side recycling bins, the paper is not secure. While the documents sit in the recycle bin awaiting their turn at the shredder, the paper is accessible to anyone. This is where shred bins come to the rescue.

The Shredinator

Utilizing a desk side shred container with a lockable lid can help ensure your paper is collected and stored in a secure manner until your designated shred day arrives.  These convenient bins come in various sizes and can be placed strategically around any building in an effort to maximize collection efficiencies. After all, the more paper which is collected leads to a greater amount of paper which is shredded. Using shred bins with signage can help you communicate your shredding policy to all members of your location.

The Personal Document Container (PDC)

There are also convenient under-the-desk paper collection bins available which make secure document collection and storage accessible for everyone. These secure paper collecting bins are especially useful during tax season as their smaller capacity lends itself to individual paper collection during peak times.

The DuraFlex Console

For centralized collection, shredding consoles are a great solution. These melamine cabinets are larger and can collect up to 80 pounds of paper, making them ideal for high traffic areas and offices in need of a larger collection option. Theses consoles are designed to blend into any decor and their design allows for placing a printer or other items on top of the cabinet for added functionality.

If sensitive documents are more prominent in your location during tax season, there are several options available for collecting documents in a secure, convenient method. Choosing to secure these documents will reduce your liability and protect your paper until it hits the shredder.

by Chris McBrien

After having the pleasure of staying home with her beautiful son for the past year, Terri has returned from her maternity leave eager to get back in touch with the west coast.  Prior to her leave from Busch Systems, Terri had taken care of the needs of the west coast for 2 years and worked with many great customers whom she is looking forward to re-connecting with.  We are excited to have Terri back on the Busch team and are confident the west coast will welcome her back with open arms.   For those of you attending the Residential Recycling Conference in Dallas at the end of March, be sure to stop by the Busch booth to personally welcome Terri back!

The “West Side” Story

So what’s the story on the west coast now that Terri has returned?  She is now surrounded by a knowledgeable and supportive team, comprised of 4 members (including her).  Cory Layes, Gabriela Corado and Pamela Cobb are the additional members who are all working together to ensure each division of the west coast are fully taken care of.  Here is how this super team is broken down:

Cory Layes

• Distributors
• Sanitation/Janitorial

 Gabriela Corado

• Convention Centers
• Stadiums
• Aquariums/Zoos

Pamela Cobb is the Customer Service Representative for the entire west coast team.  Terri Mainprize will be taking care of all remaining sectors.  The entire west coast team is thrilled to be working together to ensure the needs of their territory are being met and exceeded. 

Welcome to the KidZone!

Launched in February 2012, the Busch Systems Recycling for Kids webpage has been receiving many positive reviews.  Here you will find fun activities and useful learning tools for kids.  In addition, we have recently introduced various kid friendly recycling containers – including the Kidz-Sort.

Kidz-Sort

These newly created containers are perfect for any K-8 school, featuring the primary colors and fun use of decals.  Check out our Recycling for Kids webpage for more information.  www.recycling-for-kids.com

Renter’s Right to Recycle Act

In California an act to mandate residential recycling in multifamily dwellings has recently passed.  Presently, fewer than 40% of persons living in multifamily dwellings have access to residential recycling.  With the passing of the Renter’s Right to Recycle Act, all multifamily dwellings with five or more units will have access to recycling services at their residence.  Is this the start of a trend to be quickly followed by surrounding states?  Perhaps this new act will prompt property management companies close to CA to evaluate their recycling service and container options.

E-Waste Containers Growing Demand

In the age of electronics it is more important than ever to offer recycling options for items such as cell phones and batteries.  These items are not typically accepted in residential collection, though drop off locations are common.  Busch Systems has met the demand for such stream collections by introducing these e-waste bins:

CPR (Cell Phone Recycler)

Battery Recycling Bin

Why recycle your cell phones?  Most importantly, you are helping the environment by keeping these electronics out of landfills.  In addition, by recycling your device you are helping decrease the need for raw materials required for new product manufacturing.  Want to learn more about these new e-waste containers?  Contact your west coast rep today!

The Johnstown (New York) Public library holds an annual fundraiser, where community groups or individuals donate gift baskets, which are displayed for several weeks and then raffled off at an ice cream social, with proceeds going to support programs at the library. Baskets have a theme and must include books. Originally, this fundraiser was aimed at children’s literature (such as a Winnie the Pooh basket with kids’ books and stuffed animals, or a horse theme for pre-teen girls.) Over the years, the basket submissions have evolved into a very creative effort – with the baskets themselves often a primary foundation that is tied into the theme.

This is the first year the Fulton County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling Division participated in this event. We used two of the stackable recycling bins from Busch Systems as the base for our donation.  They looked awesome when put together and will be a useful addition to the winner’s indoor recycling efforts.

The fact that these colorful recycle bins are made from recycled content plastic was another consideration when purchasing them. Items that went into the bins were recycling or environmental books purchased for the donation, as well as departmental promotions and other items collected throughout the year as give-aways at recycling conferences or sample items sent by manufacturing companies. And in the spirit of reuse, the recycling department even provided the filler – shredded paper generated from the office (which can later be recycled). The recycling themed “basket” was assembled by library staff, and the Solid Waste Department was very happy with how the entire project turned out.

I would also like to compliment the sales staff at Busch Systems, who were very helpful in working with me on this project.

Dianne W.

Recycling Coordinator

Fulton County Department of Solid Waste

We were extremely pleased to see the number of schools that took advantage of this opportunity in support of their school’s recycling program. The participation level proved students are passionate about recycling and highly dedicated to improving their campus recycling program. When asked to describe why their campus recycling logo was best in North America, each response showed a great deal of school spirit, reflecting their school’s recycling goals and values.

As outlined in the contest rules and regulations, the three logos with the most votes were entered into a random draw to determine the ultimate winner.

 The Results Are In ….  

A BIG thank you and congratulations goes out to our “Final 3” participants which garnered the most votes for their school recycling logos:

North Carolina State University

Montana Tech

University of Illinois at Chicago

Well Done!

And now……

The Winner of $5,000 in Busch Systems Recycling Bins!

CONGRATULATIONS TO MONTANA TECH!!!

Not leaving empty handed is University of Illinois at Chicago and North Carolina State University who were each awarded $1,000.00 in recycling containers after Craig Busch, President of Busch Systems, insisted on rewarding their strong efforts.  

We’d truly like to thank every University and College that was a part of this contest. We couldn’t be happier with the involvement and we’ve been pleasantly surprised with the creativity levels that were presented here! Every logo was unique and did an excellent job showcasing their commitment to recycling, and a sustainable campus.

Lastly, we want to thank everyone who voted for their favourite logo! We couldn’t have completed this campaign without your input! A big “thank you” goes out to all the students and voters for putting on a big push and spreading the word through social media; you made the “Like the Logo” Contest a Success!

Keep up the “green” spirit, and keep spreading the word about your recycling efforts on campus!

The “Like the Logo” contest ran from January 23^rd until February 27^th and encouraged colleges and universities across North America to post their campus recycling logo through the Busch Systems Facebook page. The schools were then encouraged to garner as many votes as possible supporting their logo. The top three vote-getting logos were entered into a draw for the top prize. The top three recycling logos were submitted by Montana Tech, North Carolina State University and the University of Illinois at Chicago, with Montana Tech taking home $5000 in recycling bins for their school recycling program.  After hearing about the strong efforts put forth Craig Busch, President of Busch Systems, insisted on awarding both North Carolina State University and University of Illinois at Chicago each with $1,000.00 in recycling containers to further encourage their green initiatives. 

Busch Systems ran the contest in an effort to increase awareness of campus recycling programs across North America. There were a total of 37 campus recycling logos entered with over 2500 votes cast.

“It was amazing to see the level of school spirit involved in regard to recycling”, states Serena Brooks, Sales Manager at Busch Systems. “We expected a high level of competitiveness. We were thrilled with the degree of pride these schools take in their recycling programs”.

Founded in 1900, Montana Tech of the University of Montana boasts a campus comprised of four colleges and schools located in Butte, Montana. The student body of almost 3000 is enrolled in studies varying from engineering to liberal arts.

“It’s great to see a school like Montana Tech win the recycling bins for their program. Hopefully, this contest will help increase awareness and recycling rates on college campuses across North America”, states Brooks.

To visit the Busch Systems Facebook page, please see: http://www.facebook.com/BuschSystems

For additional information or a sample copy, contact:

Chris McBrien
Busch Systems International

(705) 722-0806 – office
(705) 722-8972 – fax
chrism@buschsystems.com
http://www.buschsystems.com

Busch Systems International, Recycling Made Simple.

An industry leader for over twenty five years, Busch Systems has expanded internationally, with a product portfolio detailing upward of two hundred products. Busch Systems develops more new molded recycling, waste and compost containers than all other manufacturers combined.