It is important to understand what happens to old plastic in order to understand what will happen if you do not recycle plastic.

Low Rate of Plastic Recycling

The recycling of plastics is growing along with the recycling statistics of glass and paper; however, only a small percentage of all plastic is recycled. The EPA reports that only 6.8% of all plastics were recycled in 2007 as compared to the 50% of all paper which was recycled.

The reasons for this low rate of recycling tend to center around the inability to recycle all types of plastic in community recycling programs. For example:

• Not all types of plastics are accepted by community recycling programs
• Plastic bags are typically not accepted in recycling programs

Community Recycling

According to the American Plastics Council (APC), about half of all communities in the United States have recycling programs for plastics. Some communities have curbside recycling while other communities require their citizens to bring their recyclables to drop-off recycling points within the community. Some communities accept all types of materials for recycling while others limit the types of plastics they accept. However, almost all grocery stores offer recycle bins which allow patrons to recycle their plastic grocery bags. Those grocery stores who do not offer this service should.

Plastic Bags

Most communities do not accept plastic bags in their curbside or drop-off recycling programs. Of the billion plastic bags given out each day, only 1 to 3% are being recycled. Most employees bring lunches, or other items to work in plastic grocery bags. You could help your employees recycle these bags by providing a plastic grocery bag recycling container at the office.

Some recycling programs only accept plastic bottles made from PET or HDPE, leaving the other plastic items to be tossed into the garbage. Help you employees recycle those plastic bags that don’t make into the traditional recycling bins.

When plastic is not recycled it ends up in the landfill becomes waste in the environment. Without recycling, this "wasted" plastic cannot be reworked and reused. Instead, "new" plastic must be made, requiring the use of natural resources.

For more information on plastic botlle & bag recycling centers, contact the Fibrex Group.

Green Living

Fibrex Group announces the new Lunasol Solar powered LED bollards  which are an ideal choice for low level architectural, commercial way finding, and landscaping lighting applications. Visual appeal combined with high quality construction and unequaled solar power performance make the Lunasol Solar LED Bollards an excellent fit where quality low level lighting is required. Our new Lunasol M1, P2 asymmetrical, and T3 architectural post models will add to the beauty of your property while providing important lighting for your guests.

Utilizing solar power and LED lighting, the Lunasol Solar LED bollards are fully self contained and offer significant benefits over typical wired bollards:

• Low installed cost and minimal site impact with no trenching, cabling or wiring
• Minimal ongoing costs with no electrical bills or bulbs to change
• Immune from power outages
• Provide a visibly green statement without recurring carbon emissions

The performance of the Lunasol Solar LED Bollards is maximized through the use of proprietary Energy Management System (EMS) technology that allows the luminaire to function in harmony with its environment.

The EMS ensures that regardless of low-solar weather patterns or unusual charging conditions such as shading, the bollard continues to provide useable light that enhances the appeal and safety of the night time environment.

Please visit our website or contact us at 1.800.346.4458 for further information. Work. Play. Solar.

Fibrex Group is excited to announce that their line of products has now been listed on the TODL.com interactive design library website!

Connecting manufacturers and service providers with over 70,000 pre-qualified design and architectural professionals for over 15 years, TODL is used every day for design research for projects of all types, sizes and budgets. When working design and architectural professionals are specifying products for projects from luxury homes to billion-dollar casino projects, TODL is there.

Each and every member has been prequalified by a live person to ensure that they are a design and/or architectural professional. TODL’s membership does not include consumers, reps and other manufacturers.

Fibrex Group is known for its extensive selection of recycling centers, trash receptacles, park, street and mall site furnishings. We are pleased to introduce our new lines of illuminated architectural planters and Lunasol solar bollards. Our Made in the USA green-design products are built to last, made from sustainable resources and always contain the maximum possible recycled content. Please contact us at 1-800-346-4458 for a quote.

It’s time once again to celebrate Earth Day by participating in activities that show our appreciation for the natural beauty of our planet and our commitment to combating environmental pollution. Your workplace may not seem like the place to celebrate or discuss Earth Day, but in fact it is the perfect environment.

Make it important  to your employees to celebrate or recognize Earth Day in some way. Here are some ideas.

Team Building through Recycling- Make recycling a team building affair. With new office recycling bins for each team, see which team can recycle the most. See which team can recycle more various items, too with prizes for all categories. Then bring your recyclable materials to a nearby recycling facility. Which team saved the most money through recycling? Recycling processes are fascinating and fun to watch.  Your group will earn some extra change and you can buy lunch for the employees after!

Sit down and set specific goals for recycling and saving energy- It’s often as easy as changing your light bulbs, being more conscientious with water conservation, or making a routine trip to a nearby recycling bin.

Plant a tree - Besides being a fun activity, planting trees help to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and they provide a habitat for a variety of other plants and animals. Go to your local nursery, and pick out the perfect tree for around the office.

Plant flowers near your entry or parking lot - Each day as you enter the office, you and your employees will be thrilled when you see the beautiful grounds.

Go on a nature hike at lunch- Nature hikes are a great way to appreciate the beauty of our planet. Pick a park or nearby trail, or visit a new place as a team every year on Earth Day.

The Fibrex Group wishes you a happy Earth Day. We hope that some of these ideas are helpful in your work celebration of Earth Day.

What better way than to get a jump start on Spring than with Play Mart’s outstanding sale prices on select items! The Fibrex Group is proud to be the exclusive manufacturer’s rep in the states of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia and New Jersey.

Play Mart is the leader in recycled plastic commercial playground equipment for schools, parks, day cares, churches, military installations and much more. We also offer early childhood equipment, site amenities, and fitness equipment. We extrude our structural material - Recycled Structural Plastic (RSP) - using reclaimed #2 HDPE (High Density Polyethylene). In simple terms, we make playground equipment from garbage milk jugs.

Save up to 50% on some items!

• NEW Mega™ Fire Engine Playground
• Mini™ Hillcrest Playground
• Mini™ Stoneybrook Playground
• Mini™ Noah's Ark (or Beach Boat) Playground
• Play-Fit™ Flagstaff
• NEW Kid's 6FT ergo-EcoBench (4FT shown at link)
• Nature of Early Play™ ModBox - 24" x 8"

Call 1.800.346.4458 or email us at ruben@fibrexgroup.com so we can help you design the playground of your children’s dreams!!
**We only design, sell & install for commercial customers. No residential inquiries please.

While the Fibrex Group does not sell composters, we truly believe that it is a most valuable tool for schools and educators in a public setting. Composting is a practice that enhances our soil and can benefit the Earth. Rocket Composters are simple to use and easy to maintain.

The wide range of Rocket Composters can recycle all quantities of food waste (or green or animal wastes) quickly and quietly without any mess or smell. The Rocket uses nature's own processes and some of its own clever technology to turn your waste into lovely compost in just two weeks.

State Farm Insurance is now offering grant money to qualified schools for the purchase of a Rocket Composter.

Grant funding money is now available for purchasing a Rocket Composter which will help you :

1. Educate students incorporating the Rocket into the school’s curriculum
2. Recycle your school's food waste to eliminate disposal costs
3. Reduce your facility's carbon footprint and increase your recycling rates
4. Produce useful compost for your facility's landscaping needs

Primary applicant should be either an educator who currently teaches in a public K-12, public charter, or higher education institution, or a school-based service-learning coordinator whose primary role is to coordinate service-learning projects in a public, charter, or higher education institution.
 
The following web link describes the State Farms Insurance grant program for K-12 and Higher Education schools and for other not-for-profit educational groups.
 
Visit: http://www.statefarmyab.com/apply/national-grants/
 
This funding can help you with the purchase of a Rocket Composter. The deadline for all grant applications is May 3rd, 2013.

But wait - before you compost that food waste, you might want to also consider recycling bottles, cans & paper at your school. Check out www.fibrexgroup.com for budget friendly and attractive recycling containers for your school’s recycling program!

Collecting used oil from the Do-It-Yourself oil changer is easy with the high volume Profile Oil Containers sold by the Fibrex Group. Conveniently located used oil drop-off sites equipped with attractive and user-friendly tanks are an essential element for any successful high volume used oil program. The Profile 400-gallon Used Oil Container is specially designed to accept used oil from the public. This attractive unit is very user friendly which improves program participation and aids in keeping the collection site clean.

The Profile Oil Recycling 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 NYC Department of Sanitation is holding five SAFE (Solvents, Automotive, Flammable, Electronics) Disposal Events this spring (one in each borough) to provide NYC residents with a one-stop method to get rid of potentially harmful household products. If you cannot attend any of the events, see harmful household products.

Only NYC residential waste will be accepted at these NYC SAFE events (no business or institutional waste permitted). No commercial vehicles allowed. Residents MUST provide proof of NYC residency.

Items accepted include auto fluids, batteries, electronics, glues, medications, paint products, solvents, and more. When deciding what items to bring, look for products labeled with the following signal words: DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION. Products labeled DANGER represent the highest hazard level. Please also bring any other materials stored in your home that you know may be harmful.

In addition to used oil recycling, many communities are now also looking to collect used oil filters. The Igloo Drum Cover, combined with a spill pan and standard open top 55 gallon steel drum, becomes an attractive and safe receptacle perfect for collecting used oil filters. Please contact Fibrex to receive a quote or pricing for your recycling needs.

**NYC Department of Sanitation - Waste Prevention, Reuse & Recycling

Everyone knows that recycling is good for the environment. But it is also good for your budget. If you are working within a yearly budget, as all businesses, schools and universities are, then reducing your waste stream is the perfect place to start saving money. To do this, you need to encourage employees, guests or students and teachers to recycle. You can do this by making recycling convenient; and not just paper recycling. Make recycling all materials convenient. We know how.
 
The new stylish Mobius Flex™ recycling containers are not only attractive, they are also extremely durable, easy to use and budget friendly. The Mobius Flex is a dual stream recycling bin, which means visitors, students and employees can recycle paper, plastic and compost all in one place. It is a fact, if it is easy to recycle, then more recycling happens.
 
With the look of expensive designer recycle bins, the Mobius Flex™ is attractive, very durable and is priced to turn heads.  The Mobius Flex™ is made from high quality molded plastic with an anti-scratch surface so it can withstand high traffic public areas. This recycling container is perfect for collecting waste and recycling in public spaces because it is attractive with large drop-in openings, and it has a very large capacity.

This recycling bin is perfect for schools, universities, airports, malls, apartments, hotels, convention centers and office buildings. The Mobius Flex™ is an exclusive Fibrex Recycling Container which was designed and manufactured by our seasoned team of experts.
 
Contact the Fibrex Group for the most competitive factory direct pricing, custom designs and excellent customer service.

Fibrex offers one of the most comprehensive selections of office recycling bins in the marketplace. Our RecyclePro and RecycleBox products will help any office setting become a recycling center within minutes. However, it is best to teach your employees how to treat waste/recyclables when beginning a recycling program.

Following are 5 tips from the Green Business Bureau to help your business by improving waste management:

1. Avoid Waste in the First Place: By carefully analyzing and planning design, material ordering and studying usage trends, small businesses can cut costs by simply creating less waste.
2. Recycle or Reuse Waste:  Be proactive with your business’ recycling policy. Place recycling bins in strategic locations for easy access. Recycle water bottles, paper, printer cartridges and aluminum cans.
3. Reduce Packaging Waste: Buy in bulk. This will reduce packaging and the number of trips for delivery. Even better, reuse materials such as newspaper for packing materials.
4. Start a Composting Project: Composting can minimize the waste that sent to landfills. Kitchen waste, leaves, grass clippings, shredded paper, cardboard boxes, fruits and vegetables can all be composted.
5. Turn Trash into Treasure: Your waste may have financial value to someone else. Explore an online waste marketplace such as RecycleMatch to find a happy home for your old materials.

By providing the correct waste and recycling receptacles for your office setting, your employees can continue their recycling practices in the workplace. For more information or other receptacle options, please visit www.fibrexgroup.com.

The General Services Administration (GSA) has launched eBuy Mobile service capabilities. GSA Contractors will now have the ability to access and utilize capabilities specific to their mobile devices. These services provide mobile friendly access to active Request for Quote (RFQ) and Request for Information (RFI) associated with their contract(s).

The mobile service capabilities are the first release under the eBuy mobile initiative, to enable access to critical functions by the use of mobile devices. This initiative is specific to added features accessible for "Sellers". The mobile application will be accessible via iOS and Android platforms. Effective February 25, eBuy vendors will have the ability to access RFQ information associated with their contracts(s) remotely through their mobile devices. Launch the URL https://www.ebuy.gsa.gov/mobile/login from a mobile device, bookmark the URL and add to your home screen for future access. To view attachments connected to RFQ or prepare or submit quote, users must log in to the eBuy web application. The eBuy web application serves as the official system for receiving and submitting quote information.

The application is also intended to send alert or notify the users/contractors, based on these critical functions:
New Request For Quote (RFQ)/Request For Information (RFI)

• Modified RFQ/RFI
• Cancelled RFQ/RFI
• Received Quote
• Award / No Award
• e-Buy Outage - RFQ/RFI Extension Notices

Through their mobile devices (smart phones and tablets) GSA contractors will receive push notifications via SMS text messages, to alert them of any change of RFQ/RFI information associated with their contracts. The contractors will be required to register their cellular numbers in order to receive SMS text messages. Please visit https://www.ebuy.gsa.gov for completing the registration process. Your carrier SMS service must be enabled in order to receive text messages.

The eBuy Mobile App is a collaborative effort with The Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies (OCSIT), Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Strategic Integrated Technology Services (ITS) and the Region 6 Office of Small Business Utilization (OSBU), all shared an interest in the development and delivery of mobile capabilities for the General Services Administration (GSA) Advantage! eBuy application.

The eBuy application is one of the priority services selected by the agency in support of the digital government strategy. http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/141107