How can grocery stores reduce waste?
If you’ve ever looked at your shopping cart and wondered at the volume and variety of packaging materials it contains, then you’re probably already aware that grocery store waste is a challenge. Whether through the disposal of food items that are no longer fit for sale, the plastic wrap containing the products, or dealing with…Read More…
Why is recycling important? The truth about our trash.
Imagine a world where there’s little to no waste. A world where everything we throw out is repurposed or reused. A world where all of the materials we discard are recycled and utilized in new products. Well, here’s the thing about our trash; in truth, most of it is not trash at all. Today, recycling…Read More…
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…
What does the New York plastic bag ban mean for you?
Start spreading the news – New York is leaving its plastic bags behind for good On March 1, 2020, New York rolls out its comprehensive plastic bag ban that will attempt to reduce the 23 million bags consumed by its citizens each year. To put that into a very New York perspective, that’s the equivalent…Read More…