Looking for a local Texas recycling grant opportunity? Check out www.h-gac.com/community/waste/grant/

Every two years the Texas Legislature meets and sets the budget for the upcoming biennium. The budget includes money collected as a tipping fee at landfills throughout the state and designated to fund solid waste management programs in Texas. H-GAC receives a portion of this money, as pass-through funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, to fund Solid Waste Implementation grant projects throughout the 13-county region on an annual basis.

During FY 2014 and 2015 $1.2 million in grant funds ($600,000 each year) will be distributed. Projects selected during the first round have received final approval from TCEQ and are now in the implementation phase. A little over $300,000 remains to be given out.

H-GAC opened the application for Solid Waste Grants on Monday, February 17. Total funds available are just over $300,000, with the minimum grant request amount set at $2,500. The application will close on Tuesday, March 25 at noon.

Cities, counties, public school districts, Councils of Governments (COGs), and certain general and special law districts (those with water quality protection or solid waste management authority and responsibility) are all eligible to apply.

* Only those in H-GAC's thirteen-county Gulf Coast Planning region are eligible. Non-profit organizations and private companies are not directly eligible, but may be subcontracted by eligible public entities.

Household hazardous waste is one of the specific categories included in the grant. The Fibrex Group Used Oil Containers  would be a beneficial product to purchase with your approved grant money. The Profile Oil Container combines the unique feature of a steel inner tank surrounded by a rust resistant fiberglass secondary containment. Other features include a large disposal funnel, rain resistant lockable lid, level gauge, instruction decals and a 2” service coupling for pumping out the used oil.

The solid waste grant application period is now open. The online application can be found here. Please contact Fibrex Group for further information or to receive a quote for your application. Work. Play. Recycle.

RecycleMania announced that more than 450 schools are participating in its 2014 competition, which entices colleges and universities in all 50 states to engaging in a recycling rumble. The contest aligns with the end of the college basketball season and is now in its 14th year! It is managed by Keep America Beautiful and sponsored by Alcoa Foundation, the American Forest & Paper Association, The Coca-Cola Company and SCA Tissue.

The Fibrex Group line of recycling containers is the perfect solution to improve your recycling rates on campus in dorms, cafeterias, stadiums and educational buildings. Our diverse line of products, including the indoor Mobius DS & Flex and outdoor Envirodesign clusters, are budget & user friendly and can all be customized with your school’s graphics.

Fibrex even carries a line of recycling wastebaskets & curbside recycling bins for individual dorm rooms so that students can still recycle in their rooms, and then transfer the recyclables to centrally located stations throughout the building. Check out our website for further details . Or give us a call and we can assist you with setting up a recycling program on your campus! 

Recycling used motor oil is easy and convenient in South Carolina. In fact, South Carolina has one of the best and most comprehensive programs for the Do-It-Yourself Oil Changer in the country. There are more than 900 collection sites that accept used motor oil from the public. And, the majority of these oil collection sites are run by local governments. Used Oil Containers are used at these sites to make it easy for DIY’ers to collect and dispose of used oil. Many of collection containers are the Profile oil collection line from Fibrex Group.

DHEC continues to issue grants for the installation or replacement of used oil collection containers. Our recently redesigned Profile Used Oil Containers are now available in two different capacities and a wide variety of colors.  Collecting used oil from the Do-It-Yourself oil changer is easy with the Profile Oil Containers. Conveniently located used oil drop-off sites equipped with attractive and user-friendly tanks are an essential element for any successful used oil program.

The Profile 400-gallon Oil Collection Container is an attractive unit is very user friendly which improves program participation and aids in keeping the collection site clean is designed to collect used oil. This container is perfect for oil collection from the general public.

In addition to used oil, many communities are now also looking to collect used oil filters. The Igloo drum cover is an attractive and safe receptacle perfect for collecting used filters.

For more information on used oil collection containers, contact The Fibrex Group.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in collaboration with Gary Radin Design, have chosen Fibrex Group’s recycled plastic Envirodesign modern benches for inclusion in the ‘Garden to Table Studio’ at the 2014 annual Philadelphia Flower Show. Our benches will provide the seating for the audience while watching celebrity chefs during a lunchtime break-out session.

Each day the Flower Show guests will be invited to visit the ‘Garden to Table Studio’ sponsored by Organic Gardening magazine. Now located on the Flower Show floor, the studio will look and feel like a true chef’s kitchen, where free half-hour cooking demonstration will be presented each day. The Philly Flower Show will be held March 1-9, 2014 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Last year, Organic Gardening editor-in-chief Ethne Clarke, along with other members of the magazine’s editorial staff, welcomed world-renowned chefs to the state, including Daniel Stern, chef and owner of Philadelphia’s famed R2L and MidAtlantic restaurants, and Edward Lee, Organic Gardening’s Simply Fresh Contributing Chef, acclaimed chef at Louisville’s 610 Magnolia, “Iron Chef American” competitor, and James Bear finalist for Best Chef.

The exclusive design of the Envirodesign Modern recycled plastic bench is style simply stated. The slatted seating is striking in appearance providing cool seating comfort. Like all of our benches the Modern is designed to endure. The eight foot model is perfect for that area where additional seating is required. Like all of our envirodesign site furnishings the modern bench is made from 95% post consumer recycled plastic and made in the USA.

Work. Garden. Recycle.

As the playground industry strives to maintain compliance with playground surfacing to meet ADA standards, the International Play Equipment Manufacturer Association (IPEMA) has released a new guide that provides a complete source of regulations concerning proper installation and maintenance of all IPEMA certified playground surfaces, including; artificial turf, engineered wood fiber, interlocking tile, poured-in place and rubber mulch.

Fibrex Group is the Play Mart Playgrounds mid-Atlantic distributor for the states of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia & New Jersey. Play Mart products are IPEMA certified and approved for industry standards. Our sustainable playgrounds and surfacing options are built to last and offered with a 100 year warranty on our recycled plastic components. We offer creative designs for any playground or park. Check out our latest Early Childhood Development products for your preschool, head start or daycare.

The #greenestshow on grass - Waste Management Phoenix Open January 27 – February 2, 2014

7 days. 500,000 fans. Zero waste. That's how Waste Management has turned the PGA TOUR's most highly attended tournament into the Greenest Show on Grass. There will be 6,000 recycling containers and compost bins on the course during the event for players, staff & spectators. NO trash cans have been set-up. Even carpet & turf set-up for the event will be recycled at the conclusion of the WMPO!

The Kyocera Pro-Am will kick-off a week of fun and incredible golf action at the 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open. The Kyocera Pro-Am is scheduled to feature a number of PGA TOUR stars including three-time tournament champion Mark Calcavecchia, Ricky Barnes, John Peterson, Kevin Na and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

Fibrex Group has provided Waste Management with various models of recycling containers throughout the past 20 years. We are proud to say that they are a valued customer who shares a similar philosophy on zero waste. WM is committed to making recycling easier, more efficient and more productive. Single-stream recycling, where all recyclables are mixed together in one collection bin, is perhaps the best example of that philosophy in action.

Please check out www.fibrexgroup.com for more information about our products and our company focus. Or give us a ring at 1.800.346.4458 to request a quote.

Work. Play. Recycle.

Dr. Pepper is contributing $300,000 to help fund public-space recycling efforts across the nation.

The soda giant, officially known as Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, is for the second year in a row partnering with Keep America Beautiful to offer grants that will fund recycling bins in city, regional and state parks.

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) affiliates as well as government agencies can apply for funding on the program's and applications will be accepted until Feb. 11.

According to a KAB press release, last year 33 grants were awarded to entities in 23 states, and more than 700 recycling bins got introduced into parks.

Said Brenda Pulley, senior vice president, recycling at KAB: “Through the Keep America Beautiful bin grant program, we are encouraging more than 720 million park visitors each year to recycle, reduce litter and protect beautiful parks and recreation centers.”

Fibrex Group is your one-stop provider for outdoor recycling containers & recycled plastic lumber site furnishings. Made in the USA since 1990, our green-design products are made from sustainable resources and always contain the maximum possible recycled content. We offer very competitive factory direct pricing on our entire selection of eco-friendly park products which are built to last and covered by the best warranties in the industry. Call 1.800.346.4458 or contact us today for more information!

(originally reported in Resource Recycling 1/15/14)

The city of Seattle is considering legislation that would make it mandatory for businesses to recycle glass, plastic, tin and aluminum, effective July 2014.

The legislation was introduced last month and aims to reduce the 8,000 tons of recyclable bottles and cans Seattle businesses send to landfills each year. Six months of educational outreach to businesses would be conducted before the requirement takes effect, with one-and-a-half years before the use of civil infractions for enforcement.

This is clearly the next step in Seattle’s recycling effort. Homeowners have been recycling bottles and cans since 2005, and it’s time we re-energize the effort to preserve our dwindling natural resources.

It is already compulsory for businesses to recycle paper and cardboard in Seattle. According to city estimates, additional mandates will reduce recyclables that go to the landfill by 6,000 tons, or more than 200 shipping containers, per year by 2019. Office multi-stream recycling containers will help businesses in Seattle meet this goal.

Regardless of the size or type of business, switching to a strong recycling program is expected to save the company money. Savings will range from $55 per month for a small restaurant to $1,522 for a large office building.

To further make a business case for diverting waste from landfills, the bill will also direct Seattle Public Utilities to streamline the process for business owners to convert to comprehensive recycling, allocating $150,000 for business engagement.

The funding for business recycling outreach is doubled to ensure this is a win for both business and the environment.

As luck would have it, the move coincides with the 25th anniversary of curbside recycling in Seattle. City residents have been required to recycle glass, plastic, tin and aluminum since 2005. They now recycle 71% of their total waste, compared with 61% for businesses.

The Mobius Flex office recycling bin is perfect for use in high profile areas such as office buildings, retail stores, schools and universities. The Mobius Flex has two generously sized compartments featuring molded drop-in openings for collecting bottles and cans, paper products, organics and/or trash. Each compartment holds up to 25 gallons and is fitted with a rigid plastic liner. They are available in an unlimited combination of colors and finishes, and are perfect for even the most discriminate of locations. We also provide customized decals utilizing corporate, city, school or program branding for use on the recycling containers.

For more information on recycling containers for your business, contact The Fibrex Group.

Earth911

2013 was another great year for Fibrex Group and an exciting one for the recycling world. With this being the first week of the 2014, we just wanted to reflect on some things we’re proud of and relay what we’re looking forward to in the New Year. First and always, we are extremely thankful to the wonderful support of our customers that have helped us to continue our growth and show others how easy it is to ‘Work. Play. Recycle.’ Fibrex has been very proud and appreciative to provide them with our innovative recycling receptacles, recycled plastic site furnishings and sustainable playgrounds.

As we move into 2014, there are a few industry trends that we will be keeping an eye on. Many municipalities will continue to mandate recycling within their city limits for businesses & schools. We believe this is something that should have been required long ago, and are very happy to see that most folks have finally jumped on the ‘band wagon’. There is also a revitalized movement to protect & enhance green spaces. We are hoping that our recycled plastic site furnishings & Play Mart playgrounds will have continued success for folks that are planning for those areas.

Our product line will continue to grow in 2014. We have plans in place to partner with some new vendors that we believe our current & potential customer base will find very interesting for their properties. Stay tuned and check our website frequently for updates as they occur.

We will continue our local and social media marketing which are gaining us new fans in the marketplace. Our weekly blog and updates on our Face Book page have been a useful tool in getting the word out to others who may not have heard of us previously.

All in all, 2013 was a good year. But 2014 will be fantastic for Fibrex! Check out our complete line of recycling containers, site furnishings & Play Mart playground equipment at www.fibrexgroup.com. We offer discounted pricing to our customers and Fibrex  products are always competitively priced.

Americans throw away 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than any other time of year. That’s about 5 million extra tons of waste going into landfills during the holiday season.

Making the season greener can be as simple as making one change a day — let’s say for 12 days.

Day 1: Overloaded with holiday gift catalogs? Get rid of that paper by taking your name off the mailing list of catalogs and other mail you no longer want.

Day 2: Donate gently used toys your children no longer used to local charitable organizations.

Day 3: Opt to send holiday e-cards instead of paper holiday cards. It will save on waste and on postage.

Day 4: Swap your old holiday lights for LED lights. Some stores will give you a rebate or discount on LED lights if you bring in old strands for recycling.

Day 5: Having a holiday bash? Give leftovers to guests in reusable containers as they leave so nothing goes to waste.

Day 6: Set out a clearly marked recycling bin for holiday party guests to recycle empty bottles and cans.

Day 7: Decorate for the holidays using materials you already have around the house. Decorations like ornaments, garland and wreaths can be made with many different materials.

Day 8: While shopping for holiday gifts, consider purchasing items that use less packaging.

Day 9: Reusable bags are not just for trips to the grocery store. Use them on your next holiday shopping trip.

Day 10: Use butcher paper that your kids have decorated or the Sunday comics as wrapping paper this year. Tissue paper and most gift wrap can’t be recycled.

Day 11: If you or someone you know is getting a new electronic gadget this year — think TVs and computers — be sure to recycle the old or unwanted one.

Day 12: Take stock in all of the green changes you made and enjoy the fact you have reduced your footprint this holiday season.

Check out www.fibrexgroup.com for the best selection of recycling containers, sustainable site furnishings and recycled plastic lumber playground equipment.

Reduce. Rejoice. Recycle.

Originally written by Mark Walter for Press-Gazette Media