Recycling Glass in Multi-Family Communities
According to the National Multifamily Housing Council, 32% of Americans live in multi-family communities. If all those multi-family households participated in glass recycling or any recycling program, it would significantly reduce our metro’s waste stream.
Glass is heavy and can take millions of years to break down in a landfill, so why not recycle it? Recycling glass helps reduce our carbon emissions, saves landfill space, and keeps our communities beautiful. Recycling can also have many benefits for landlords, property managers, and the residents living in multi-family communities. This includes cost-savings, of course, but can also provide benefits like attracting and keeping tenants.
What do those benefits look like?
- MONEY – Glass is heavy. Removing glass from the volume of waste in your complex’s dumpster will reduce the number of pickups needed from your trash hauler, and therefore reduce your trash costs. In fact, many businesses who partner with Ripple for glass recycling are able to save money on trash and recycling within their first year of service.
- AMENITIES – Offering glass recycling allows you to provide an eco-friendly amenity for residents and potential residents who are looking to live in sustainably-minded communities, in a way that will likely benefit your bottom line. In a recent Recycling Survey done by the Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District, 32% of respondents chose “Glass container recycling services” as one of their top three choices of Services Residents Would Most Like to See Offered or Expanded in Their Community.
- SET YOUR COMMUNITY APART – In Kansas City, only a small percentage of multi-family housing complexes offer recycling services, and even fewer offer glass recycling. Many prospective tenants say they’d prefer to live in a complex that offers recycling, making glass recycling a potential deciding factor during their apartment search. Starting a recycling program can help your property stand out from the competition, making it easier to fill those empty units.
- COMMUNITY – Recycling is a community effort. When recycling is accessible to all residents, it often brings tenants together toward a common goal. Many find that their tenants have even been eager to volunteer to collect the glass from each floor and bring it to the bins each week. As you know, this type of community involvement helps tenants feel more connected to their apartments and can decrease the likelihood that they’ll move.
How can I start a glass recycling program at my apartment or multi-family home?
Contact Ripple Glass. You can visit our website to learn more information or reach out directly to our Commercial Program Manager, Piercyn Charbonneau – 913-609-1250 or piercyn@rippleglass.com. We have plans to fit the needs of communities of any size.
Once I have glass recycling, how can I make it easy for tenants to use?
- It’s important for landlords and property managers to make the process easy to understand. Announce the program to tenants and encourage them by outlining the benefits. Ripple Glass can provide flyers with education on what types of glass residents can recycle and also offer training materials.
- Make glass recycling convenient: place the glass recycling cart near the garbage container to make it easy for residents to make one trip. Ripple Glass carts are clearly labeled for glass and purple in color, making them easy for residents to identify.
- Depending on the size of the building, there are options to provide glass recycling on each floor. Discuss your specific situation with our Commercial Program Manager.
- Remind tenants of the recycling program and its rules on a regular basis.
Glass recycling at your multi-family residence can have many benefits for your complex and for the environment.
Our team is here to help. If you’d like more information, please check out our website or reach out to our Commercial Program Manager at piercyn@rippleglass.com.
Are you a tenant and would like to see glass recycling in your community? Send this blog to your landlord or property manager!