Xpedex notes that not only does the recycling program help the environment by diverting waste from landfills, but it also supplies material, such as recycled paper, back into the paper manufacturing process. Xpedex is targeting locations that are larger than 50,000 sq ft and already has the program established at nearly 70 locations, which represents more than 50% of its targeted locations. The company's Minneapolis division averaged 14 tons of recycled material each month in the fourth quarter of 2010 alone and has recycled more than 119,000 lb of material since October 2010.
Xpedx's St. Louis division averages nine tons of recyclables per month and has reduced its trash haul by 50%. The location has made such a dramatic increase in the amount of recyclables captured that it was able to remove a trash compactor that was needed to manage waste. With these success stories and others, xpedx found that more than 90% of what it was sending to landfills in some locations was recyclable. This represented an opportunity to dramatically reduce the amount of materials xpedx sent to landfills as well as saving thousands of dollars in landfill fees per month at each site.
International Paper, which has a recycling business with more than 35 years of experience, helped xpedx to design and implement the program. Xpedx is now recycling LDPE plastic (recycling symbol "4"), corrugated boxes, office paper, coated paper, mixed paper grades, pallets and wood waste, as well as common items including aluminum cans, fluorescent lights, Styrofoam, batteries, and used oil. In select locations, xpedx is also investigating the possibility of helping customers recycle materials such as pallets and plastics.
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