What is commercial composting and how can cities manage organic waste?
Organics remain the largest single component of municipal solid waste (MSW) in the US, and while its rate of decomposition is relatively fast compared to petroleum-based materials such as plastic, the sheer amount of it can pose challenges for cities trying to effectively divert food waste. Whether its organic waste, yard trimmings, or even biodegradable…Read More…
Sharp rise in medical waste leads to questions about proper disposal
COVID-19 has brought with it numerous extraordinary challenges, including an increase in personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitary supplies such as tissues, hand sanitizer, face masks, and disposable gloves, being thrown into the garbage. As a result, the waste management industry is left with an escalation of potentially infectious waste to deal with. To make…Read More…
Ditch the deskside bins: A case study proving the value of centralized waste bins
Thinking about cutting ties with desk side bins in your office? RTS Sustainability Operations Manager, Shannon Bergstrom, sat down with Emily Kildow, Associate Director of Sustainability at Sidewalk Labs, to discuss her experience with implementing a centralized waste station while in her former role. Centralized waste stations While not new, centralized waste stations are beginning…Read More…
Commercial waste solutions for property managers
The recent move to working at home and homeschooling means a significant rise in waste coming out of residential buildings, and while there isn’t concrete information on exactly how steep this rise will be, some sources suggest that it could be upwards of 30%. For municipalities attempting to keep waste management services running as close…Read More…
A waste hauler’s perspective of the COVID-19 crisis
Perhaps the most enduring lesson of the COVID-19 crisis will be just how reliant society is on a handful of essential services. As entire countries go into lockdown, with strict rules on individual movement, we have quickly come to the realization that we are utterly dependent on our healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical workers, security services…Read More…
COVID-19 and the waste management industry
Increasingly stringent measures to contain the virus are disrupting the global economy and changing daily routines. Schools are closing and travel has been restricted, businesses are shutting their doors and individuals are being advised to stay home. However, while the world is taking necessary precautions, essential services and facilities need to remain open. Grocery stores…Read More…
Celebrating B Corp Month – March 2020
B Corp month brings together businesses and consumers to move sustainable changes forward. It is an opportunity to start a conversation, to engage with customers, and to highlight the many ways B Corps are using business as a force for good. As a proud B Corp, RTS is excited to celebrate B Corp month in…Read More…
How hotels can engage guests with sustainable waste management
In 2017, the Chicago Recycling Ordinance took effect, bringing with it new regulations aimed at boosting recycling in buildings of five or more units and expanding the list of materials that must be recycled. Waste separation was a key point within the ordinance while educating tenants or guests on proper recycling practices was also high…Read More…
Optimizing commercial waste management for your business
Companies are shifting towards making sustainability a core part of their business in response to shareholder, employee, and customer demands. Part of the shift includes optimizing how waste is managed and diverting more of it from landfill. So, in a large-scale environment, how can commercial waste management be implemented sustainably and responsibly? What is commercial…Read More…
The future of recycling — Looking to 2020 and beyond
As we enter the third decade of the millennium we must understand that global waste generation is one of the most pressing issues of our time—an inevitable by-product of capitalist and consumerist growth. A crisis that is not going away and is getting worse each year. That’s not to say that changes aren’t being made, but…Read More…