Charleston Service Center Takes Initiative on Recycling

As a responsible member of the community, the Service Center at Charleston, WV, recognized the importance of protecting the environment. Gregory Stanley, their new Manager, introduced a simple six-step approach to begin a recycling program: form a committee; create a plan; identify materials to recycle; collection and processing; plan for waste prevention; raise awareness.

Through their research, the committee identified three materials suitable for recycling: plastic bottles, aluminium cans and batteries. It takes a plastic bottle 450 years to decompose, an aluminium can take between 200 and 500 years, and a simple AA battery can take 100 years.

The committee researched local recycling companies and discovered there was one located in their industrial complex that could recycle all of the identified materials. Once a month, they use the Service Center's delivery truck to take the materials for recycling.

At the launch of the program, the Committee shared information with fellow associates to explain the reasons for recycling and what they needed to do within the centre.

The associates embraced the initiative and also recognised that ‘E-waste’ is growing. As electronic equipment becomes outdated, there is an urgent need for effective electronics recycling programs. Because old electronic devices contain toxic substances, proper processing is essential to ensure that these materials are not released into the environment.

In response, the associates started an electronics recycling initiative. The team surveyed the entire building for unused electronics to return to the IT Department for recycling. They returned over 20 individual computers, monitors, printers, and more.

Next on the agenda, is the committee’s plan to scale up the program up by encouraging associates to bring in items from home if there is no recycling offered in their community.

Every day, ERIKS Charleston “makes industry work better” by servicing its customers while making a positive social and environmental impact on the community. We are committed to putting our expertise to work, where it can do the best for people and the planet, making possible today what was impossible yesterday.Greg Stanley, Service Centre Manager, Charleston, WV, ERIKS North America.