Courtyards of Andover
Highlights
What: Reducing waste through implementing a single-sort recycling program.
Why: To decrease their weekly trash volumes and reduce their overall environmental impact.
How: Worked with Waste Wise to contact their hauler, implement single-sort recycling collection, and receive grant funding to set up on-site recycling bins.
Results: Diverting an estimated 86,736 pounds of recycling from the landfill each year.
Courtyards of Andover is an event center and banquet facility that hosts a variety of events including weddings, expos, banquets, and corporate events. General Manager, Frank Panzer, initially met with Waste Wise to discuss the ways in which a recycling program would benefit Courtyards of Andover and help them reduce their weekly trash volumes. Together, they determined implementing single-stream recycling collection would not only ensure the company becomes compliant before the 2016 recycling mandate, but would drastically reduce their weekly waste output and overall environmental impact.
With the help of Waste Wise, Courtyards of Andover reached out to their waste hauler for a quote to add the single-sort recycling service and presented it to their landlord, who accepted the new collection program. Besides assisting in the successful implementation of their recycling program, Waste Wise also helped Courtyards of Andover apply for the Anoka County Business Recycling grant to fund the purchasing costs of high quality bins and appropriate signage to effectively differentiate the correct receptacles.
Panzer is very appreciative of Waste Wise and the grant program that allowed Courtyards of Andover to achieve significant results in decreasing their amount of weekly garbage. Panzer noted, “I never would have made the change without the push and assistance from Waste Wise.” Looking toward the future, he sees even greater improvements being made as the staff becomes more familiar with the program.
Courtyards of Andover achieved great success in reducing their waste output by diverting high volumes of trash from the landfill and showcasing the program to a lot of people at their various events. The company is now filling an 8-yard single-stream recycling dumpster twice a week, resulting in 86,736 pounds of annual waste diversion. Proud of their efforts and visible results, the management of Courtyards of Andover hopes to add organics recycling to their program and downsize their trash dumpster in the future to further reduce waste volumes. Waste Wise will continue to work closely with the company to help with ongoing staff training and to make improvements along the way, ensuring the program continues to be effective in diverting high volumes of recyclable material from the landfill.