Rework to Recycle Retired Devices for DISH

Partnership will provide jobs to individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment.

October 1, 2013
Recycling Today Staff

Electronics

The satellite television provider DISH has established a partnership with Reworx, Marietta, Ga., to expand its electronics recycling program.

Reworx is an electronics recycling firm that employs individuals with disabilities and those who face barriers to traditional employment. Through the program, Reworx will recycle DISH’s retired satellite receivers and related electronics in an extension of DISH’s existing sustainability operations. In 2012, the company processed more than 26 million pounds of materials through its recycling program.

“Reworx not only furthers DISH’s sustainability endeavors by keeping nearly all received materials out of landfills but it also yields another critical byproduct: opportunity,” says Jim LaRocque, DISH senior vice president of service. “Reworx provides much-needed second chances by putting individuals to work. Steady employment can be a motivating force that prompts a sense of purpose, feelings of independence and, in many cases, helps staff rebuild their lives.”

Reworx says it was the first Georgia-based electronics recycler to achieve R2 (Responsible Recycling Practices) certification.

ISRI Commodities Roundtable: Copper on the Edge

Speakers say challenging markets for copper will continue.

October 1, 2013
Recycling Today Staff

Conferences & Events Nonferrous

The overall consensus from speakers and attendees of the recently concluded ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc.) Commodities Forum is that copper will continue to see challenging markets going forward.

In opening remarks, Chris Greenfield, vice president of Federal Metals, a Cleveland-based copper and brass ingot maker, acknowledged the challenging market for copper. “I have never seen the market so on edge right now. In Orlando, (during the ISRI national convention) business owners were dealing with one, two or three quarters of malaise, which was mostly affecting big companies.”

However, difficult markets continue with little signs of the economy turning around. Companies are now enduring three, four or five straight quarters of tough markets, he added.

During the 2013 Commodities Roundtable Forum, hosted by Washington, D.C.-based ISRI in Chicago Sept. 16-18, panelists looked at the difficult markets as well as some of the drivers that could strengthen copper and copper scrap markets going forward.

In his remarks, Greenfield noted, “The questions are more complex now and it is harder to get the answer.”

“Where did all the metal go?” he then asked.

In their roundtable discussions, three speakers—Jason Schenker, founder of Prestige Economics; Mark Weintraub with Cleveland-based Premier Metal Services; and Marcus Kartenbeck with the large European-based copper scrap recycler Aurubis AG—looked at the recent past as well as at the market for copper over the next several quarters.

Schenker put a moderately positive spin on the overall market, noting modest global growth presently. “When we think about what’s going on in the global economy, we are getting rich slowly.”

He ticked off five drivers that will dictate the market, both for copper as well as for the overall recycling industry:

Modest global growth – Schenker noted that growth is taking place on a global basis, though it is slow at the present . The growth will be driven by banks that are “implementing accommodative policies,” he said. While that will help with purchases, he added that it is likely there will be more inflation cooked into the market.
Expectations for purchasing managers’ indices – “It looks like in the second quarter we bottomed out and are now moving higher.” It won’t be a consistent improvement, Schenker noted. “There will be slight pullbacks.”
A more accommodative Federal Reserve policy – “The Fed is doing things to stimulate growth,” Schenker said. These include buying mortgage-backed securities and treasury bonds to the tune of $85 billion per month.
The dollar – While the dollar has been moving in a narrower range over the past few months, Schenker said “the dollar will go lower. There are positives that people like to talk about. There is too much optimism. There are major risks, including large federal debts.”
Inventory levels – Schenker said there is a large supply overhang on the market. Adding to that was the “cratering” of the Chinese economy, he said, with growth in that country being only OK.
As for copper outlook, which shows a modest improvement, though “still quite muted,” Schenker said. “Things look okay, but not great.”

Taking a different tack, Weintraub focused much of his attention on the role that copper ETFs (exchange trade funds) play on the copper markets. Weintraub noted that over the past several years, including his time as an attorney, he has been monitoring and providing commentary for proposed copper ETFs, which a number of financial houses were looking to launch.

Weintraub expressed concern over the growing role that banks, through ETFs, are playing on the copper market. He noted that some financial houses not only own the metals but also the warehouses and the transportation mechanisms; they are collecting the rent on the material and they even become involved in trading the metals for clients and customers, he said.

The third speaker, Aurubis’ Kartenbeck, said that while the European economy has struggled greatly over the past several years, Europe’s economy is showing modest improvements.

Kartenbeck provided a look at Aurubis’ operations, which he noted, make the company the largest copper scrap consumer in the world.

Another factor that is growing in interest, Kartenbeck pointed out, is the push for higher quality material being delivered.

Keep America Beautiful Introduces Recycling at Work Initiative

Recycling at Work website offers pledge-takers recycling bin discounts, online tools.

October 1, 2013
Recycling Today Staff

Municipal / IC&I Paper Plastics

The Recycling at Work initiative from Keep America Beautiful (KAB), Stamford, Conn., is designed to encourage businesses, organizations and institutions around the country to pledge to increase workplace recycling. KAB has launched a new website, RecyclingatWork.org that features tools and resources, including recycling bin discounts, intended to help workplaces increase their recycling rates.

By taking the Recycling at Work pledge, entities can receive a 15 percent discount when ordering recycling bins from Recycle Away and Busch Systems and can access valuable resources ranging from recycling best practices and employee engagement activities to customizable promotional materials.

Recycling at Work is a joint Clinton Global Initiative commitment between KAB and Alcoa Foundation, one of the founders of the program, to increase U.S. recycling rates. KAB is soliciting businesses and other organizations to pledge to a 10 percent increase in the recycling of beverage containers, paper products, electronics and other commonly generated recyclable materials found in the workplace. Counted among KAB’s nearly 150 pledge partners to date are Clorox, Missouri City and Keep Phoenix Beautiful.

“In partnership with Keep America Beautiful, Alcoa Foundation is excited to sponsor Recycling at Work to help promote sustainable practices in the workplace,” says Tricia Napor, vice president, Alcoa Foundation. “Alcoa is committed to increasing U.S. recycling rates to 75 percent by 2015 and supporting workplace recycling helps advance this goal.”

Recycling at Work is guided by a hand-picked advisory council comprised of government officials, sustainability experts and nonprofit partners of KAB.

The potential for increasing recycling in the workplace has long been evident to Recycling at Work advisory council member Brad Molotsky, executive vice president and general counsel for Brandywine Realty Trust in Radnor, Penn.

“Based on workplace waste audits we have conducted, we learned that up to 90 percent of the material being put in the trash is easily recyclable,” Molotsky says. “By making some infrastructure improvements along with educating employees, we have achieved a recycling rate of over 70 percent for our office-generated waste. KAB’s Recycling at Work initiative, which provides tools and shares best practices, will provide much-needed support to office building owners, operators and tenants to increase recycling at work.”

Pete Chism of the city of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, adds, “Recycling at Work offers immense value to local and city governments who might not have the budget to build their own office recycling initiative. For existing programs, Recycling at Work provides a unique opportunity to renew an organization’s commitment to recycling and provides valuable tools to augment what is already in place.”

The focus on employee engagement separates Recycling at Work from similar initiatives, according to KAB.

“We know that social norms drive human behavior, and we believe that helping businesses and organizations weave recycling into company culture will lead to more recycling in the workplace,” says Brenda Pulley, KAB senior vice president of recycling. “Keep America Beautiful is dedicated to increasing recycling rates. To make meaningful progress, we need to concentrate on recycling not just at home, but also at work, at school and on the go.”

Sean Nicholson, OEM 3R (Redesign, Reduce, Recycle) program manager at Microsoft, says, “Microsoft is keen to work with the Recycling at Work challenge to help organizations understand the choices they can make to reuse and recycle their used electronics.”

Businesses interested in taking the Recycling at Work pledge are encouraged to attend a webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The session will offer ways to promote recycling in the workplace and to celebrate the pledge as part of America Recycles Day, which takes place on and around Nov. 15. America Recycles Day, an initiative of KAB, is the only day dedicated to a national celebration of recycling. To take the Recycling at Work pledge or to attend the upcoming webinar, visit RecyclingatWork.org.

Industry leaders Microsoft, through its Greener IT Challenge, and Alcoa Foundation are helping to make Recycling at Work possible.

Olympic Steel Announces Promotions

Company also relocates its executive offices.

October 1, 2013
Recycling Today Staff

Personnel

Olympic Steel Inc., a metals service center headquartered in the Cleveland area, has announced several management promotions to support its growth.

The company appointed Raymond Walker to the newly created position of president and COO—flat rolled. Walker has been with Olympic Steel since 1986, serving in management positions with increasing responsibility while most recently serving as senior vice president—eastern region. In his new role, Walker will be responsible for the daily operations of the company's flat rolled business and will continue to report to David Wolfort, Olympic Steel's president and COO.

John Mooney was promoted to vice president—eastern region, where he will oversee the eastern region's flat rolled business. Mooney, who started with Olympic Steel in 1989, has held positions including regional sales manager, general manager—Cleveland and, most recently, vice president and general manager—mid states.

Jeremy Thiessen was appointed to the newly created position of general manager—Mount Sterling, Ky. Thiessen will oversee the growing operations of the company's two facilities in Mount Sterling and will report to Mooney. Thiessen joined Olympic Steel in 1995.

Michael Siegal, Olympic Steel’s chairman and CEO, says, "Over the past several years we have strategically diversified the company's product offerings, broadened its geographic reach and expanded into higher-margin markets. As we transition from this multi-year capital investment program to executing on these fronts, we are very fortunate to have proven managerial talent already in place to drive future growth.”

Wolfort says, "Ray has played an integral role in Olympic Steel's success throughout his 27 years with the organization, and we look forward to his continual contributions and leadership to our flat rolled business. John is a proven industry veteran who will seamlessly assume his role overseeing our operations in the eastern region.”

Wolfort continues, "Due to the success experienced at our two Kentucky facilities, where we recently added warehousing of pipe and tube products, the time is right to appoint a general manager to have exclusive supervision of those operations. Jeremy (Thiessen) is the ideal person for this new role and we look forward to his leadership in that market. Each of these promotions is very well-deserved and, combined with the organizational realignment, will advance our strategy to grow in chosen markets and product categories."

The company also has announced that it has relocated its executive office suite from Bedford Heights, Ohio, to Highland Hills, Ohio.

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