Every city, county, and state must think about waste. For most it is a headache, but for a growing number of forward-thinking locales it is a boon for economic development.
If your community is interested in green jobs, the discard stream is a logical place to start. When handled properly, the items in the discard stream are valuable feedstocks that can be used in remanufacturing. This strategy has seen success most recently in Reading, PA, and Bridgeport, CT, where new enterprises are opening and recycling employees have seen their wages rise substantially in in the midst of a recession.
The recycling sector already employs more than 1 million workers nationwide, and that is with a relatively low national diversion rate of 33%. Given that the technological capacity exists to cost effectively recover more than 90% of the materials in the discard stream, this sector can support in excess of 1 million additional jobs.
The enterprises below range from for-profit companies to socially responsible non-profit ventures. ILSR can assist your community in securing the resources in your discard stream to attract companies like the ones profiled here.
Reuse Based Enterprise profiles
