The Importance Of Safety In The Recycling Industry
At Quincy Recycle, safety is one of our top priorities. Recycling may not be one of the first industries that come to mind when you think about jobs with a high risk to health and safety. But, did you ever stop and think about the types of materials collected and sorted?
In their most recent report published in December 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics rated the recycling industry as the 5th most dangerous in America. Today we will talk about why safety is so important to us by highlighting some of the common health and safety risks associated with the recycling industry and how we address them in our facilities.
5 Common Health and Safety Risks in Recycling
1. Large and Moving Machinery
Processing large quantities of plastic, metal, and other recyclable materials requires big machinery. Compactors, balers, conveyor belts, and sorting machines are regular fixtures in recycling plants. All of these can cause injury if adequate operating and maintenance procedures are not put in place.
Robust safety protocols and checklists are in place across all Quincy Recycle locations. Equipment is inspected regularly and when maintenance or repair is required, a “lock-out and tag-out” protocol is strictly enforced to ensure the machinery is in proper working order before being put back into service. From their first day of employment, each member of our team goes through extensive safety and operator training. Training is ongoing and takes place on a regular and frequent basis at each of our facilities.
2. Trucks and Other Big Vehicles
In order to haul and move large loads of material, you need trucks, forklifts and other big vehicles. Any time you have large vehicles in the same place as pedestrians you have a safety risk.
Operator awareness is a top priority at Quincy Recycle. From training to operator certifications, we make sure anyone operating a large vehicle at our facility is qualified and adhering to necessary safety protocols. We also utilize tools like glad hand locks. Trailers come and go from our facilities all the time and a glad hand lock prevents a truck from hooking up to the trailer while someone is inside working.
3. Repetitive Motion
Recycling workers move a lot. They reach, twist, jump, and bend to sort and process items daily. The absence of a well-organized and ergonomic workspace can lead to injury over time.
We spend a lot of time training and promoting best safety practices at Quincy Recycle, and that includes steps to prevent injury due to repetitive motion. Our plants are designed with a layout to help our team members be as efficient as possible, which goes a long way in helping keep them safe and injury-free.
4. Respiratory Hazards
Recyclable materials produce a lot of dust. Without proper safety equipment and ventilation, small particles from materials we process such as paper, plastic, cardboard, and other contaminants can pose harm to workers.
Quincy Recycle provides all employees with dust masks and safety glasses to protect against airborne contaminants. In addition, our facilities are outfitted with air ventilation systems to help remove dust from the air key locations throughout the plant.
5. Biohazards
Sorting through mixed-commodity loads presents some risks. Sharp objects, industrial chemicals, and other biohazards can be present and must be handled carefully to avoid injury.
We take a proactive approach to make sure we know exactly what is coming into our facilities. Utilizing safety data sheets, our team can confirm the former contents of products such as fiber or plastic drums to ensure nothing comes into the plant that shouldn’t. We also provide our team with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to help keep them safe when handling the wide variety of material that comes through our plants each day. Along with PPE, you’ll also find first-aid and bloodborne pathogen kits in each of our facilities.
Quincy Recycle Promotes A Safety-Focused Culture
Safety is part of our culture at Quincy Recycle. In fact, it is one of our core values. We don’t take the risks associated with our industry lightly and have put a lot of time and energy into making sure our facilities are safe.
“It starts at the top. Everyone across our organization is fully committed to running a safe operation. Our first core value is “Alive and Well” because safety is part of everything we do at Quincy Recycle. Many of our facilities boast lengthy safety records which is a real testament to the buy-in and dedication from everyone on the team.” – Philip J. Hildebrand, Jr., Quincy Recycle
Why is this so important?
To us, it’s simple – our team is our family. Keeping them safe is our first priority. And, in turn, our commitment to health and safety allows us to provide consistent service our partners can depend on whenever they need us.
Are you ready to take the first step toward achieving your sustainability goals?
Contact us today and together we can make an impact. We offer a wide variety of services designed to meet your specific needs.
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Industrial Recycling: How Quincy Recycle Streamlines the Process
Managing waste streams at an industrial facility comes with complex challenges that go far beyond arranging pickup services.
At Quincy Recycle, we’ve spent nearly five decades helping manufacturers and industrial operations transform their waste management from a cost center into a strategic advantage. Our approach to industrial recycling focuses on efficiency, sustainability, and maximizing value recovery from materials that might otherwise end up in landfills.
Understanding the Industrial Recycling Challenge
Industrial facilities generate diverse waste streams that require specialized handling. Paper converting operations produce trim waste, plastic manufacturers deal with scrap and regrind materials, metal fabricators accumulate various grades of scrap metal, and food processors manage organic byproducts. Each material type demands specific knowledge about market values, processing requirements, and end-use applications.
The complexity multiplies when you factor in logistics coordination, equipment needs, regulatory compliance, and the constant pressure to reduce costs while meeting sustainability goals. This is where our comprehensive approach makes a difference.
Our End-to-End Solution for Industrial Recycling
We’ve built our industrial recycling services around a simple principle: one partner should be able to solve all your waste stream problems. Here’s how we streamline the process for our partners.
Comprehensive Material Handling
Our expertise spans across various industrial recyclables. We process paper materials from converting operations and other industries, handle multiple grades of plastic, including stretch film and rigid plastics, buy and process ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including specialized materials like aluminum lithograph, and manage food byproducts through our dedicated processing capabilities. This breadth means you work with a single team that understands your entire waste profile rather than juggling multiple vendors with different processes and priorities.
In-House Logistics Capabilities
Transportation creates one of the biggest bottlenecks in industrial recycling operations. Our fleet of trucks, tractors, and trailers allows us to control the entire pickup and delivery process. We schedule around your production needs, respond quickly when storage areas reach capacity, and maintain reliable service even during market fluctuations when other recyclers might pull back. This logistics infrastructure also enables us to serve facilities from coast to coast through our Midwest-based plants and national network of trading partners.
Equipment Solutions That Optimize Your Operations
The right equipment transforms industrial recycling from a labor-intensive burden into an efficient process. We supply and install balers, compactors, shredders, and choppers designed for industrial applications. Beyond equipment sales, we help you determine which machinery makes sense for your volume and materials, configure systems that integrate smoothly with your workflow, provide ongoing maintenance and support, and supply consumables such as baling wire. Our equipment expertise ensures your facility can prepare materials efficiently for pickup and maximize the value you receive.
Strategic Approach to Waste Streams
We begin every partnership with a comprehensive waste stream analysis. Our team evaluates what materials you’re generating, how they’re currently being handled, what market opportunities exist, where equipment or process changes could improve efficiency, and how to structure a program that meets both financial and sustainability objectives. This analytical approach often uncovers recycling opportunities our partners didn’t know existed.
The Value of Experience in Industrial Recycling
Nearly 50 years in the industrial recycling business has taught us that every facility presents unique challenges. A paper converting operation has different needs than a plastics manufacturer, and regional factors affect what solutions make sense. We’ve developed the expertise to evaluate your specific situation and design custom solutions rather than offering one-size-fits-all programs.
Our experience also gives us deep relationships throughout the recycling supply chain. We know which end users want specific materials, understand how different grades and specifications affect value, and can find markets for materials that might seem difficult to recycle. These relationships become particularly valuable during market volatility when having established partnerships makes the difference between continuing your program or shutting it down.
Sustainability Without Compromise
Our partners choose industrial recycling solutions for multiple reasons. Some prioritize environmental impact and waste diversion from landfills, others focus primarily on cost reduction, and many balance both environmental and financial goals. We structure our programs to deliver on what matters most to your organization.
The environmental benefits of industrial recycling extend beyond simply diverting waste. By keeping materials in productive use, we help reduce the energy and resources needed to produce virgin materials. Our food waste management services convert organic byproducts into animal feed and other products. Our product destruction services ensure that items that can’t be recycled are handled responsibly. This circular economy approach creates value throughout the lifecycle.
Responsive Partnership Approach
Industrial facilities need recycling partners who respond quickly and communicate clearly. When you reach out to our team, you’re not just another account number in a queue. We return calls promptly, address concerns before they become problems, and adjust our services as your needs evolve. Whether you’re ramping up production, dealing with unexpected material volumes, or facing new compliance requirements, we work with you to find solutions.
Nationwide Reach, Local Service
While we serve industrial customers across the country, our operational approach emphasizes local relationships and regional expertise. Our facilities in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, and Missouri allow us to provide consistent service throughout the Midwest and beyond. We understand regional market conditions, maintain relationships with local end users, and can coordinate complex logistics across multiple locations for companies with distributed operations.
Beyond Basic Recycling
Some industrial waste streams require more than standard recycling services. Our product destruction capabilities handle situations where items need to be permanently destroyed rather than recycled or reused. Our reverse logistics expertise helps companies manage returns, overstock, or discontinued products. Our consulting services support long-term waste-reduction strategies and sustainability planning. This comprehensive service offering means we can support your facility through whatever challenges arise.
Getting Started with Industrial Recycling
If you’re evaluating your current industrial recycling program or establishing one for the first time, we recommend starting with a thorough assessment of your waste streams. Understanding what you’re generating, in what volumes, and with what consistency forms the foundation for an effective program. From there, we can evaluate equipment needs, logistics requirements, market opportunities, and program structure.
The goal isn’t simply to remove waste from your facility. It’s to create a comprehensive industrial recycling program that reduces your environmental impact, controls costs, recovers maximum value from your materials, operates efficiently within your production workflow, and provides the transparency you need to track progress toward your goals.
Looking Forward
Industrial recycling continues to evolve as markets change, regulations develop, and sustainability expectations increase. We invest continuously in understanding these trends and developing solutions that help our partners stay ahead. Whether that means finding new markets for emerging material streams, implementing new processing technologies, or adapting to changing regulatory requirements, we’re committed to providing the expertise and capabilities our partners need.
After nearly five decades in this business, we’ve learned that successful industrial recycling requires more than just picking up materials. It demands technical expertise, market knowledge, logistics capabilities, equipment solutions, and most importantly, a genuine partnership approach. That’s what we bring to every relationship.
If you’re ready to transform your industrial waste management from a cost and compliance burden into a strategic advantage, we’d welcome the opportunity to discuss your specific situation. Our team is ready to listen, analyze, and develop solutions tailored to your facility’s unique needs.
EPR Rollouts in 2025: How New State Laws Are Forcing Manufacturers to Rethink Waste Hauling – And What It Means for Your Bottom Line
If you’re a brand owner, importer, or private-label manufacturer selling packaged goods in the U.S., 2025 is the year recycling stopped being optional and became a direct line-item expense.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws for packaging and paper products are now live in California, Colorado, Oregon, Maryland, and Maine — with New Jersey, Minnesota, and several more states starting in 2026.
These laws shift the full cost of collection, sorting, and recycling from taxpayers to the producers who put the packaging on the market in the first place.
That means every box, bottle, pouch, and wrapper you sell in an EPR state now carries a mandatory, eco-modulated fee — and the ripple effects are already driving up commercial hauling and recycling rates nationwide.
The 2025–2026 Timeline
- California → registration began in 2025
- Colorado → registration began in 2024
- Oregon → reporting and fee collection are live
- Maryland → registration begins in 2026
- Maine → registration begins in 2026
- Minnesota → registration opened in 2025
Sell even one case into Portland or Denver? You’re in the program.
How the Fees Are Calculated
Fees are assessed by weight and material type through a state-approved Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO).
Easily recycled materials (PET bottles, aluminum cans, paper) pay the lowest rates. Hard-to-recycle or non-recyclable packaging (flexible film, multi-material pouches, certain rigid plastics) can cost 3–6× more per ton.
For many mid- to large-size brands, the new annual PRO invoice in California alone routinely lands in the low- to mid-seven figures — and that’s before the second wave hits.
The Hidden Second Wave: Commercial Hauling Rates Are Exploding
Cities and haulers in EPR states are now being reimbursed for residential recycling, so many are walking away from (or dramatically raising prices on) commercial contracts to chase the newly profitable curbside tons.
Factories, distribution centers, and retail back-of-house recycling programs are suddenly competing for trucks and baler space against municipalities with deep PRO-funded pockets. Commercial recycling and hauling rates in California and Colorado have already risen 20–45% since the laws took effect, and another round of double-digit increases is locked in for 2026–2027.
How Smart Manufacturers Are Turning a New “Tax” into a Competitive Advantage — with Help from Quincy Recycle
Leading brands aren’t just writing bigger checks. They’re partnering with Quincy Recycle to attack EPR costs from every possible angle:
- Verified Recycling Credits That Reduce Your PRO Invoice
Some states and PROs offer fee discounts or rebates when you can prove your post-consumer material was actually recycled domestically at high yield. - Guaranteed, Locked-In Commercial Hauling & Processing Rates
While spot-market hauling rates skyrocket, Quincy Recycle’s manufacturer clients are enjoying multi-year fixed-price contracts. Many have also added or upgraded on-site balers through Quincy to eliminate hauling entirely on high-volume streams. - Single-Point Accountability Across Every EPR State
Instead of managing separate recyclers in California, Colorado, Oregon, New Jersey, etc., Quincy provides one contract, one monthly invoice, and one set of audited reports that cover all your facilities nationwide. - Higher Rebates on Outgoing Baled Material
Quincy consistently pays above-market rebates for clean, well-baled OCC, plastics, and aluminum because we sell direct to domestic mills. Those extra rebate dollars flow straight back to your bottom line.
The Bottom Line
EPR isn’t going away — it’s spreading to more states and more material categories every year. The brands that treat it as a supply-chain and margin problem (instead of just a compliance checkbox) are the ones coming out ahead.
Manufacturers partnering with Quincy Recycle right now are lowering their PRO fees, locking in hauling costs before the next spike, earning verified recycling credits, and pocketing higher material rebates — turning what looks like a multi-million-dollar expense into a much smaller (and sometimes even profitable) line item.
Ready to see exactly how much you can save? Contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Quincy Recycle.
The Baler Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Right Machine to Maximize Your Recycling ROI
In recycling, your baler isn’t just equipment — it’s one of the biggest profit drivers in your operation. The right machine reduces labor hours, cuts hauling trips, and pays for itself over time.
Here’s a straightforward 2026 buyer’s guide to make sure you pick the baler that maximizes your recycling ROI.
1. Start with Your Material Stream (Skip This Step, and You’ll Almost Certainly Overspend)
Before you look at any baler, answer these questions honestly:
- What material(s) make up your recyclable waste stream?? (cardboard/OCC, PET, HDPE, aluminum cans, office paper, textiles, etc.)
- How much do you process weekly or monthly (in tons)?
- Where are the bales going? Local buyer, direct to a mill, or internal reuse?
- What bale specifications do your buyers demand?
A waste audit eliminates guesswork and keeps you from buying too much (or too little) machine.
2. Vertical vs. Horizontal Balers – Which One Fits Your Operation?
Vertical (downstroke) balers
- Compact footprint — ideal when floor space is limited
- Lower throughput, require manual bale wire tying
- Produce lighter bales (typically 900-1150 lbs for cardboard)
- Perfect for operations handling under 8–10 tons per week
Horizontal (auto-tie or closed-door) balers
- Require more floor space (usually 30–50 ft in length)
- Much higher throughput with automatic tying available
- Produce heavy, mill-spec bales (1,600–2,600+ lbs for cardboard)
- The clear choice when you’re over 15 tons per week or want to load with anything other than by hand (forklift, conveyor, air system, etc.)
Simple rule:
Under 10 tons/week → vertical usually wins.
15+ tons/week → horizontal usually delivers increased operational efficiency.
3. Features That Directly Boost Your Bottom Line
- Higher bale density → fewer trucks on the road and higher rebates per load
- Auto-tie systems → minimize manual labor every shift
- Shear blades → mitigate jams and allow you to process bulky material
- Modern regenerative hydraulics → dramatically decrease cycle times and lower electricity usage
- IoT and remote monitoring → alert you instantly to broken wires, low oil, or dropping throughput so you avoid expensive downtime
At Quincy Recycle, we provide nationwide service to help you keep your equipment running – because every hour your baler is down is money lost.
The Bottom Line
When you prioritize operational fit over the lowest sticker price, the right baler can transform your recycling program from an expense into a steady profit driver.
Ready for a no-obligation waste audit customized to your operation? The experts at Quincy Recycle have helped hundreds of businesses just like yours choose the perfect machine.
Contact us today and turn your recycling program from a cost center into a profit center.