There has been some interest recently in the Curb It! sorting/processing facility. This facility is operated by Greenstar (formerly MidAmerica Recycling) through a contract with Metro Waste Authority to sort the recycling from the Curb It! program. Greenstar underwent significant construction this winter to install new automated sorting equipment. This construction was recently completed.
The recycling trucks that collect recycling at your curb deliver the materials to Greenstar’s processing facility. The material is first unloaded under an outside roof, pushed onto a conveyer belt, and then goes into the processing facility to be sorted. Once inside, both automated equipment and manual labor are used to sort materials by type. Employees pull off materials that are not accepted in the Curb It! program such as plastic bags and clothing. These unacceptable materials make up less than 5% of the materials received, and are landfilled. The machines then separate which products go to which pile based on the size and weight of the objects going through.
All of the recyclable material is being sorted, shipped and recycled. Mixed paper (junk mail, etc.) goes to Louisiana and makes the inner sandwich part of boxes, or goes to Minneapolis to make paperboard for General Mills cereal boxes. Newspaper is shipped to Mexico to make Mexican newspapers (Mexican newspapers are very colorful) or made into UPS overnight mailers. Steel is recycled in Illinois into rebar and structural steel, and aluminum is recycled in Tennessee to make new beverage containers. Glass is sent to Colorado and is used to make Coors bottles or goes to Oklahoma to make other food containers. Plastics go to an Alabama manufacturer who makes car battery cases and paint containers, as well as other plastic parts for the auto industry. Other plastics are made into green strapping in Kentucky or are used in Mohawk carpeting.
The recycling facility is something that you need to see to believe. Words simply don’t do it justice. For that reason, we have created a video of the recycling facility for you to view. We will also provide tours for the public on Saturday March 6. Additional tours will be added if interest warrants. We will provide additional details and registration information very soon.
In the meantime, please contact us directly at 244-0021 if you have questions about how your Curb It! materials are being sorted and recycled. We are happy to answer any questions you might have and provide additional information.
