Success Stories
Check out some of the Success Stories of Grant Recipients!
These Success Stories are based on final reports for grants previously awarded. The projects generally run for about 18 months.
 
Processing Clean, Marketable Glass
Republic Services and Ripple Glass have joined forces in launching a new glass cleaning system to increase the amount of reusable glass with greater marketability. Sorting and processing of mixed, single-stream glass has not been available in St. Louis since 2014. The project involves equipment in St. Louis and Kansas City. The glass will be cleaned in two stages to meet the specifications needed when it is to replace raw ingredients. The end product will be ready for manufacturing new bottles and fiberglass insulation. The St. Louis Material Recovery Facility will render nearly 800 tons of glass usable for recyclers. The program ensures the jobs of existing operators and laborers and creates now jobs in the trucking industry.
Clothing collection events help generate funding for schools, charities, etc.
The U.S. generates an average of 25 billion pounds of clothing, footwear, accessories, towels, bedding, and such each year. Of the textiles discarded, 3.8 billion pounds are recovered for recycling and reuse. Remains, Inc. has been recycling textiles for more than 30 years in the St. Louis area. Each week, Remains consolidates and processes 5 tractor-trailer loads of textiles for recycling and reuse. Non-usable, or non-desirable textiles, are processed for re-manufacturing by converting them back into fibers. Remains also partners with schools, charities, and other organizations to sponsor collection events for fundraising. Remains facilitates the logistics while the partner coordinates the event participation.
Two drop-off facilities are available for recycling and for proper disposal of HHW.
St. Charles County operates two drop-off facilities for the proper management of electronic scrap and household hazardous waste (HHW).  Recycle Works West and Recycle Works Central also accepts major appliances, textiles, batteries, cardboard, plastics, etc.   The centers complement the existing residential recycling programs.  The recycle centers service residents and businesses in St. Charles County and St. Louis County.  The 2016 grant reported hundreds of thousands of pounds of materials being diverted from landfills.
Electronics are now collected at scheduled events in communities, schools, businesses, etc.
MRC Recycling partners with cities, school districts, colleges and businesses to provide collection events, pick-up and drop-off services for the collection and processing of e-scrap.  Holding collection events throughout the District in areas convenient to consumers greatly increases the number of participants and the overall volume collected.  During the 2016 grant period, MRC diverted 695.5 tons of CRT glass from TVs and computer monitors alone.  Overall, MRC diverted 2,614.74 tons of e-waste from collection events, drop-offs and pick-ups during this time-frame. frame.
“U City” is a Leader in Municipal Recycling
The City of University City was one of the first municipalities in the country to offer residents curbside recycling for newspapers, aluminum, plastic; and, implemented one of the first curbside single-stream recycling programs in the state. Now, every resident—and nearly every business—has access to recycling services provided by the University City Solid Waste Service. In 2016, University City was able to divert more than 3,000 tons of valuable resources from landfills. They also operate a recycling drop-off center 7 days a week. In addition to the standard recyclables, the center accepts textiles, dry cleaning bags, bubble wrap and more. Grant funding assists with personnel, equipment, education and events.
Several hundred local businesses, schools and institutions actively compost of food waste.
Total Organics Recycling (TOR) collects food waste and other compostable materials from more than 300 different businesses, organizations and institutions. TOR then hauls the materials to commercial composting facilities where it is combined with yard waste and turned back into high quality compost. Each week, TOR diverts more than 200 tons of waste from landfills. Material is collected from customers using rendering trucks, which are then emptied at commercial composting facilities. The trucks increase the capacity to collect more materials during each run. Diversion goals increase as more restaurants and grocery stores realize the monetary and environmental benefits of composting.
Educating kids about recycling and the environment.
How do you get kids’ attention these days? Multi-media of course. “In-The-Green Productions by Jack Kaufmann” uses music and today’s technology to engage students in learning about the environment and how important it is to help reduce waste. Compelling video of the beauty and wonders of the world helps kids identify with the reality of how each and every one of us effects the environment; positively or negatively. By incorporating music and multi-media into his storytelling, Kaufmann introduces kids to the concept of landfills and the connection between conserving resources; tying everything together for a lasting impression. From 2014 to 2016, “In-The-Green Productions” held events at 100 elementary schools district-wide and reached more than 21,500 students and teachers.
