How to Start a Recycling Center
A recycling business makes money by selling paper, glass, plastic and other used items to companies that re-purpose them. You will need to recycle hundreds of thousands of items to make a profit, but fortunately there are many sources of recyclables for your business to process.
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Instructions
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Decide whether you want your center to recycle plastic, glass, metal, paper or all four types of materials.
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Learn whether your local government requires recyclables to be separated by type. Not all states and cities have this requirement.
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Find a warehouse location to lease. You will need at least 5,000 square feet of space, and should look for a location near the companies that are willing to buy recycled material.
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Purchase or lease a commercial compactor and baler. You will need this equipment in order to process recyclables.
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Create a website for your recycling business that contains information about your operating hours and policies. Add helpful articles about the importance of recycling. You could also run a blog on your website to further promote it.
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Send pamphlets about your recycling center to nearby businesses, such as restaurants, retail stores and commercial office buildings. These businesses generally have a lot of recyclables--you can even set up a program for retailers where your company goes and gets their recyclables on a weekly basis.
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Develop a program for the housing subdivisions and schools surrounding your recycling business to encourage them to send their recyclables to you. You can make a contest for the schools where the one that sends in the most recyclables wins a pizza party or a similar prize.
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Distribute press releases to local radio, news, and print media outlets about the recycling programs your business has created. The success of your recycling business depends on community awareness, and media attention will greatly help in that area.
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Tips & Warnings
Check with your local government to see what business permits you will need. Often, there are no special requirements for starting a recycling center.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Flickr Creative Commons, auntjojo
