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Carton Recycling
Webinar on Carton Recycling Markets for Minnesota on November 1, 2018
Recently there was some confusion about the recyclability of cartons for the Anoka Hennepin school district and others, but that has been resolved as Waste Management re-evaluated their carton recycling program and decided to continue accepting cartons. Other MRFs or sorters in Minnesota accepting cartons include Dem-Con Companies, Eureka Recycling, Republic-Minneapolis/Inver Grove Heights, SRC Recycling-Wyoming, Randy’s-St. Paul Park, Carver County-Chaska, Kandiyohi County-Wilmar, McLeod County-Hutchinson, Rice County-Dundas, and Northern MN Recycling/St. Louis County-Virginia. In response to recent marketing concerns about cartons, on November 1st, the Carton Council and RAM sponsored a webinar on opportunities for carton recycling featuring markets currently accepting cartons and serving Minnesota. Speakers at this webinar included Jason Pelz with Carton Council, Mark Bond with Fox River Fibers in Wisconsin, and Bill Keegan with Dem-Con in Shakopee. These speakers provided information about the work their own facilities are doing and about the markets Minnesota recyclers are using now to process cartons into other high-grade items such as paper and tissue products, building materials, and plastic products. |
This webinar will summarize the process in general and specifically the progress made in Minnesota in the past two years for these cartons and will highlight visions and expectations for the future.
Topics include:
current end markets; the mill processes; experiences of local materials recovery facilities, waste haulers, school, institutional and residential programs; and public education and communications efforts.
Speakers include:
Topics include:
current end markets; the mill processes; experiences of local materials recovery facilities, waste haulers, school, institutional and residential programs; and public education and communications efforts.
Speakers include:
- Rich Hirstein, Republic Services; giving a recycling hauler/materials recovery facility perspective on adding carton collection and marketing to their services.
- Kellie Kish, Recycling Coordinator, City of Minneapolis, shared the educational efforts and initiatives employed by their staff to educate residents and businesses as carton recycling was implemented in Minneapolis.
- Allison Sawyer, St. Louis County, presents the methods used by St. Louis County Environmental Services as they initiated carton recycling for schools and residents in a very large, rural county in northern Minnesota.
- Brita Sailer, Recycling Association of Minnesota; summarizing the program in general, how RAM assumed a leadership role in expanding carton recycling opportunities throughout the state of Minnesota, and visions for the future.
Carton Recycling in Minnesota
Ram & Carton Council Project
In the interest of increasing recycling rates throughout Minnesota, RAM has partnered with several organizations to increase recycling market development, materials collection, education and to promote sustainable, stable programs to enhance recycling of a wider variety of materials.
Once such partnership is with the Carton Council, a national organization of carton manufacturers united to deliver long-term collaborative solutions in order to divert valuable cartons from the landfill. Once considered a “hard to recycle” item, carton recycling is now available to over 50% of all US households, including across Minnesota.
RAM has joined forces with the Carton Council to bring more information on carton recycling to a wider audience in Minnesota to assure that residents all over the state are aware of any carton recycling opportunities that exist in their community and to promote carton recycling at Materials Recovery Facilities statewide.
In the interest of increasing recycling rates throughout Minnesota, RAM has partnered with several organizations to increase recycling market development, materials collection, education and to promote sustainable, stable programs to enhance recycling of a wider variety of materials.
Once such partnership is with the Carton Council, a national organization of carton manufacturers united to deliver long-term collaborative solutions in order to divert valuable cartons from the landfill. Once considered a “hard to recycle” item, carton recycling is now available to over 50% of all US households, including across Minnesota.
RAM has joined forces with the Carton Council to bring more information on carton recycling to a wider audience in Minnesota to assure that residents all over the state are aware of any carton recycling opportunities that exist in their community and to promote carton recycling at Materials Recovery Facilities statewide.
In an initial collaboration with the RAM GreenCrops Carton Recycling project, Carton Council representatives worked on the launch of that pilot project, assisting with training sessions and presentations to potential school and institutional partners in Central Minnesota.
RAM will also be offering a series of webinars, hosted by our partner, Carton Council. The council’s successful approach to increasing access to carton recycling has proved effective across the country and here in Minnesota, increasing opportunities to expand current programs and increase diversion of valuable recyclables.
One key component in any successful recycling venture is the establishment of solid end markets. An important component of the RAM project has been to connect fiber mills that recycle cartons with Minnesota MRFs and businesses. In the summer of 2014, a RAM contingency was able to tour one relatively local market for cartons, the Fox River Fiber plant in DePere, WI.
RAM will also be offering a series of webinars, hosted by our partner, Carton Council. The council’s successful approach to increasing access to carton recycling has proved effective across the country and here in Minnesota, increasing opportunities to expand current programs and increase diversion of valuable recyclables.
One key component in any successful recycling venture is the establishment of solid end markets. An important component of the RAM project has been to connect fiber mills that recycle cartons with Minnesota MRFs and businesses. In the summer of 2014, a RAM contingency was able to tour one relatively local market for cartons, the Fox River Fiber plant in DePere, WI.
