Most everyone has an opinion on recycling. As with any topic, studies can be swayed to make results look positive or negative. Some topics to consider when making your decisions about recycling:

Re-use is often the least impact to the environment.

• What does it cost the environment to re-use?
• Is it sanitary to re-use?
• If this is a group effort, do you have 100% cooperation and support from ownership? Who will monitor the results?

Research and ask questions about what you want to recycle.

• Are there fees associated?
• How much time does it take you to manage the process?
• What is the carbon footprint of doing it?
• Recycling often uses natural resources (water, fuel) and can create pollution. What will be used?
• What happens to the product once it goes to the recycling plant?
• How is the product re-used? Does the result seem beneficial?
• Has the recycler been evaluated? Do they do what they say they’ll do, or just dump the product into a landfill if they don’t have a buyer for it?

Did you know…studies have shown the hospitality industry is a very large contributor to landfills? Therefore, our efforts toward recycling can make a tremendous impact on the environment.

Carpet is estimated to be the highest volume of product disposed into landfills. The government estimates each year, over 5 billion pounds of carpet is sent to landfills.

Many carpet manufacturers have recycling programs and use recycled product to manufacture yarn. Other manufacturers may use post-consumer product for manufacturing, and offer recycling programs.

Your interior designer and purchasing agent can help you find suppliers who are environmentally conscious!

Written by: Diane Cudworth, Project Director