Computer Recycling Centers - How to Find Responsible Electronics Recycling Companies

Not long ago, CBS' "60 Minutes" program broadcast a story on e-waste and global dumping. The reporters followed a trail of electronic recycling items from a Denver-based company all the way to Hong Kong, China and caught the so-called "recycling" company red-handed engaging in global e-waste dumping.
With over 80% of recycled electronics and computers ending up as high-tech e-waste in developing countries such as China, India, and Africa, we need to step up as responsible citizens of the world and choose computer and electronics recycling companies very carefully. We must support only those electronics recycling companies that are running both a socially and an environmentally sound operation, end-to-end. To understand how global dumping occurs, it helps to first understand the business model for electronic recycling.
To sustain as a business, electronic recyclers must generate enough revenues from all its recycling and reuse services and the reclamation of precious metals and other recycling materials, minus operating costs and the cost of de-manufacturing those items that yield no value (yet harm the environment).
The difference between an environmentally responsible computer and electronics recycling company and an irresponsible one can be broken down as follows: a) the way they generate reuse revenues; b) how they reclaim precious metals and recycling materials; c) how they manage the de-manufacturing process of low-value, toxic elements.
Consider the precious metal reclamation process for a moment. A responsible company would need to invest in having a safe working environment with proper protective gear for it workers and proper waste treatment procedures to prevent environmental contamination. In addition, a responsible electronics recycling company will operate using specialized de-manufacturing equipment that protects the workers from the harmful materials or dust that escapes during the de-manufacturing process.
An irresponsible recycling company avoids any investment in the de-manufacturing area. In fact, irresponsible recycling companies never lay eyes on the workers who eventually break apart the leftover electronic parts. As seen in the "60 Minutes" program, those workers are typically low-paid laborers from remote villages, who use bare hands and primitive tools such as chisels and hammers to pry the precious materials from the discarded items. The final discarded parts are then dumped anywhere - in rivers or streams or burned in a swamp - causing major public health issues.
The most hazardous materials found in e-waste are not the reclaimed precious metals, but the low-value, toxic materials such as Mercury found in switches and flat screens and the brominated flame retardants used on printed circuit boards, cables and plastic casings. These are the materials that require major investment in the de-manufacturing process. In summary, the cost to operate a safe operating de-manufacturing facility makes responsible electronic recycling much more difficult than the much used alternate: global dumping.
Yielding to the higher reclaim prices offered by the irresponsible global dumpers, many so-called recycling collectors send their materials to irresponsible recyclers, who in turn "sell" the recycling cargo to exporters. A few handshakes later and the e-waste cargo arrives at the ports of the global village's poorest countries. Since the U.S. prohibits dumping of electronic waste in other countries, most of the e-waste cargo is shipped under the label "Used Equipment," whereas in fact most of the recycled electronic waste is either too old or too out-of-order to have any reuse value.
In order to identify a responsible recycling company, one must first be able to pinpoint the telltale signs that a recycling company engages in global dumping.
Irresponsible recycling companies:

1. Avoid educating the public about the e-waste crisis either on their company Web site or in their company marketing collateral. Irresponsible electronics recyclers make it look very easy so that the consumer won't ask any questions.
2. Omit details about how they track and manage the recycling process to avoid global dumping. Again, the less the consumer knows, the easier it is for an irresponsible electronics recycler to engage in some form of global dumping
3. Host greenwash events with reputable nonprofits that don't understand the proper recycling process. By making the electronics recycling process sound easy and by hiding under the guise of fundraising for schools, chambers of commerce, police association leagues and other nonprofits, these electronics recyclers further disarm the general public about "donating" their unwanted electronics at "fundraising" events. Electronics recyclers participating at a greenwash fundraiser do not charge any recycling fees, yet generate enough funds to donate to the nonprofit and can still pay the high costs of de-manufacturing toxic elements. This business model doesn't exist because it is simply too good to be true. It's also an abuse of the goodwill of the nonprofits involved. The truth is, these fundraising "recyclers" collect items that can be reclaimed for cash and then dump the rest on developing countries. They incur minimal handling costs by selling them as "exports." That is how 80% of computer and electronics recycling materials in the U.S. end up as e-waste in developing countries.
4. Fail to provide either a permanent address for their electronics recycling facility or a proper permit to operate as a recycler. Many use a P.O. Box or just a phone number that they publish during neighborhood pick-up campaigns. When you call, it always goes directly to an answering machine. There is no one available to tell you more about their services.

Now that you know how to identify an irresponsible electronic recycling company, let's review what a responsible electronics recycling company looks like.

1. Look for an electronics recycler who states a corporate commitment to addressing the global e-waste crisis.
2. Use computer and electronics recycling companies that actively educate the public about the e-waste crisis and the socially responsible way to recycle and de-manufacture.
3. Make sure your electronics recycling company can demonstrate its thorough process in evaluating reuse items, items for de-manufacturing and also its monitoring system to keep track of the entire de-manufacturing process.
4. Support electronics recyclers who use only U.S.-based de-manufacturing facilities that have the proper permits, de-manufacturing machines and processes and safety and health monitoring system for their workers.
5. Use computer and electronics recyclers that generate enough revenues from services to be able to allocate the proper budget toward responsible processing of toxic materials.
6. Choose an electronics recycler that is well respected by environmentalists who have been focused on the e-waste crisis. These environmentalists have seen firsthand how dumping occurs and are very knowledgeable about how to identify responsible recyclers.

GreenCitizen, Inc., is a socially responsible recycling company addressing the global e-waste crisis. GreenCitizen currently has three recycling centers located in the San Francisco Bay Area, one in San Francisco at 591 Howard Street (at 2nd Street;) one in Burlingame at 801 Mahler Road, Suite I (just north of the Hyatt) and one in downtown Palo Alto at 161 Homer Ave (next door to Peet's Coffee and Whole Foods Market). Find out more about electronics recycling and how to help stop global dumping at http://www.greencitizen.com/ now! Join http://www.greencitizen.com/Community/home.php an eco-conscious community and plant some green wisdom of your own with like-minded citizens.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_W_Kao

Marketing Wastes - 10 Biggest Marketing Wastes of the 21st Century

For many years, manufacturing companies have been working to get their employees trained in "lean" manufacturing techniques. These techniques primarily target areas of waste in a manufacturer's operations, processes, equipment and labor. The objective is to eliminate waste and make the operations, processes, equipment and labor more efficient. By doing so, cash flow can improve because a company will be much better at delivering products to the customer when the customer wants it. No sooner, no later. There is less inventory on hand because the company has learned how to produce the right number of products and do so in a more efficient manner. Many times the cost of production, equipment and labor can be reduced to increase the bottom line for a company. Equipment is more efficient so a company's return on equipment investment increases. The company wins and customers win with lean manufacturing.
This success in lean manufacturing is now moving into the area of "lean" office and "lean" healthcare. Other industries are adopting many of these "lean" techniques to lower costs and be more competitive in today's world.
These same "lean" concepts can be applied to marketing. We are unique in introducing these "lean" techniques into the "top" line operations, processes, marketing resources (marketing equipment) and staff of a company. Our system seeks to eliminate waste and inefficiencies in all the marketing and sales or "top" line processes. Instead of "bottom" line cost savings, there are "top" line revenue increases which results in more profit or increased "bottom" line.
In other words - lean marketing and sales.
Business Owner Frustrations
The traditional definition of marketing has been the introduction of your company's products and services to prospective customers. By reason of this definition, business owners have pursued the "traditional" avenues of marketing. These include: Advertising, hiring more salespeople, prospecting, direct mail, referral programs, web marketing and many more.
All of these traditional marketing methods can work - but many times they don't (Don't create a paying customer) and this leaves business owners frustrated. Sometimes they have invested thousands of dollars in these traditional methods only to find out they didn't work or that in order to really work, they need to invest thousands more.
The business owners then go back to the providers of these traditional marketing methods and ask for accountability. The reply is usually something like this:
"Did the (marketing method) bring in more prospects?" "Yes, but they didn't buy anything." says the business owner. "Well, if they don't become paying customers, we can't control that - that is your responsibility" is the reply.
In other words traditional marketing method providers are not paid and do not concern themselves with what happens after a prospect is generated. Indeed there may be plenty of new prospects generated, but if they don't become customers, it hasn't helped the business owner! And, the frustration only grows.
Waste #1: Failure to define marketing correctly and not identifying Marketing assets already in the business.
The frustration grows partly because the definition of marketing is short-sided and inadequate. It is time for a new one. A new one for the 21st Century!
We have redefined marketing to be:
The introduction AND SELLING of your company's products and services to PAST, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE customers by first optimizing and leveraging ALL of your company's marketing assets.
With this new definition, marketing becomes concerned with what happens after a new prospect is contacted or inquires. If a business owner does not track and understand what is happening to a prospect immediately upon contact or inquiring, waste enters in.
There may be waste in that the right qualifying questions are not being asked, so salespeople spend time with the wrong prospects. Waste. It may be that whoever is answering the phone or greeting the prospect is not saying the right things. Waste. It may be that the prospect isn't ready to buy right now but might be later. The company is not tracking this relationship and the prospect goes away. Waste.
Then, if a prospect does become a customer and is ignored or not included in the company marketing efforts in an on-going basis, then the customer will not buy as much as they could. Waste. And, if there is not good customer service and the customer leaves the company there is more waste. It is ten times as costly to get a new customer than to keep one.
To eliminate this waste required an acceptance of a new marketing definition.
Too many companies separate sales and marketing. Many times the two departments don't even talk to each other. Waste. Selling is and always should be under the umbrella of marketing. Don't separate the two. That creates waste.
IDENTIFYING MARKETING ASSETS
Because of the inadequate definition of marketing that has prevailed, business owners think of marketing assets as only their advertising or the accumulation of new prospects and new customers. This is a very short-sided view of marketing assets - a waste.
You can find a list of marketing assets on our website, blog, and in other articles we have written. These include past customers, current customers, salespeople, the company's advertising, referral programs, current sales and marketing processes, location, reputation, time in business, relationships with other businesses, etc. It is very important for business owners to "see" all of these as marketing assets. Not just those that create new prospects.
If a business owner will begin "look" at marketing in a different way - accepting the new definition, then they will begin to eliminate the wastes that occur under the traditional definition and find new sales and profits waiting for them.
Waste #2: Failure to execute marketing inside before going outside!
The traditional definition of marketing as discussed has forced business owners to always be looking OUTSIDE their business for growth.
What I mean by "outside" is working with traditional marketing resources for the generation of new prospective customers. This means going outside to find new prospects with advertising, tradeshows, web marketing, direct mail, salespeople prospecting, etc.
Because of this tendency to focus on MORE PROSPECTS with marketing, waste begins to creep "inside" the company.
The minute a prospect is introduced or inquires about a company's products or services, they become "inside" the company. Now the real marketing should take over. This is where "hidden" new sources of cash, sales and profits can be found.
These prospects are having conversations, sales pitches, etc. directed at them by people, staff inside the company. The prospects have entered the sales process inside the company.
Every business in the world has the same sales process:
Prospect created -------qualified-------presented-------closed.
There could be tremendous sources of "waste" along this process. It could be that the wrong prospects are being created in the first place. Waste. It could be that the prospect is not being qualified. Waste. It could be that the presentation made (either on-line or off-line, in person, on the phone, in an ad, etc. is not being done well.) Waste. It may mean the prospects are not being closed as well as they could be. Waste. It could mean that after they are closed, there is no on-going process of marketing. Waste.
It is everything that happens to a prospect AFTER being introduced that contains the hidden sources of new sales. It is what's happening "inside" the company that is as or more important than what is going on "outside" to generate more customers.
This approach to marketing is more "non-traditional." Most of our clients started out thinking the answers for more sales were in the creation of more prospects. But, soon, the system helped them uncover serious areas of waste and it was discovered that more sales and profits WITHOUT SPENDING MORE MONEY TO CREATE NEW PROSPECTS could be had FIRST by fixing and eliminating areas of waste. (Core Four Steps) Then, more resources could be devoted to generating more prospects because systems were in place to make certain there was no waste in the managing of the new prospect's experience. So, all resources devoted to the creation of new prospects (Big Four) were maximized, leveraged to their fullest, creating maximum profit opportunities.
Doesn't that make more sense?
Waste #3: Failure to build a marketing plan around the THREE WAYS TO GROW!
Every time I ask a business owner for a description or written copy of a marketing plan, the plan ALWAYS focuses on getting more prospective customers. This is to be done by advertising, web marketing, tradeshows, direct mail, telemarketing, salespeople, etc.
In other words, all plans are made under the traditional definition of marketing i.e. the introduction of a company's products and services to prospective customers.
As indicated already, this definition is limited and incorrect.
There are three ways to grow sales and profits for any company. They are:
1. Increase the number of prospective customers contacted or inquiring
2. Increase the conversion rate of prospective customers to buying customers
3. Increase the value of worth of each customer
The marketing plans found at most companies deal only with number one - more prospects.
All marketing plans in the 21st century should revolve around ALL THREE!
If not, there is potential for tremendous waste. And, that is exactly what we find.
All business owners should hold their "marketing"departments and Vice-Presidents to the metrics or measuring of all three ways to grow. This way, assets become optimized. Waste is eliminated. The three ways to grow makes certain that all possible sources of cash and new sales are being considered.
Business owners should receive a weekly report from marketing that gives an accounting of marketing's performance in all three areas. The conversion rate doesn't only apply to salespeople closing sales. It applies to web click through and conversion rate, direct mail response rates, telemarketing response rates, etc. In other words, there might be several "conversion" rates in a company's marketing process.
The "value" or "worth" of each customer is increased by doing more upselling on the front-end and more "back-end" selling after a prospect becomes a customer. Step number three in our system specifically focuses on increasing customer value.
The three numbers of prospect contact rate, conversion rate and value level are the three numbers a business owner should have a daily accounting for and should insist that the marketing department plan around all three ways to grow.
Waste #4: Failure to have a USP - Unique Selling Proposition
Unless any business owner or salesperson can tell a prospect in 90 words or less why they should do business with a company and not the competition, there is waste.
The USP is a selling proposition. Not a mission statement. Prospects and customers don't care what your mission is. They only care what you can do for them better than anyone else. That is a USP.
Dominos Pizza created a stir with a 30 minute delivery or FREE USP. It took the company to the top of the industry. Now, all Pizza places can get you a pizza in 30 minutes. It is no longer unique. Dominos must now create a new USP if they want to get back to the top.
What is your USP?
A USP is not "good quality" or "good service" It must be more specific and if possible quantitative. If possible, it should be as overt and significant as possible. Not found in the fine print of a warranty statement.
If you're unclear what your USP might be, listen to the top salesman in the company. They are often selling what it is customers really want.
Most companies think that "branding" is all they need to do. Again, branding is not a USP. It might be a description of your company or a position in the market your company wants to take. Again, these are not USP's. They can support and help introduce a USP, but they are not selling propositions. A USP must be able to be sold.
If a business owner is not clear what the USP is, certainly prospects and customers won't be clear. Look closely at the marketing assets of owner expertise, time in business, company credibility, to see if USP can be uncovered.
Talk to customers and ask them why they do business with you. Research and examine the competition to see what they might be selling as a USP.
However, the most important of all these is the competition. A USP is not necessarily what the owner thinks it is and even what customers might say it is. If the competition is doing it, it is not a USP. And, it must matter to the customers. You might have the most unique product available, but if customers don't want it or don't care about it, it is not a USP. Step one of our system focuses on helping a company develop a USP.
The USP is the first and most important part of any marketing plan. It must be determined first because it will then often determine which target markets should be pursued. It is the market research that should be done to understand the strengths and opportunities for the company. The USP becomes the "core" or foundation of all marketing and sales efforts.
Waste #5: Failure to communicate and integrate the USP - on-going sales training
Most of the time, a company can uncover and define a USP but then they fail to integrate the USP successfully.
Almost all USP's fall short because the salespeople aren't on board. They are not incorporating the USP into their sales presentations. A good USP integrated into a sales presentation can increase conversion rates significantly.
But, usually, salespeople go back to what they are comfortable doing.
A business owner must require the marketing department to see that the USP becomes integrated into all marketing and sales processes. This is from placing ads, business cards, brochures, displays, scripting for those answering the phone, etc. It needs to be incorporated into the sales presentations and any on-going marketing communication with customers.
The USP should be on the home page and incorporated into every other page of the company's website.
This goal of complete company integration starts with the salespeople. That is why sales-training needs to be an on-going concern with any company. New salespeople need to be trained what it is they really sell! The USP. They need to always be trained in how to qualify, present and close more effectively. The more training done in these areas, the higher the closing rate will be. The margin between the company's current closing rate and 100% is an area of marketing waste.
This is why sales trainers are paid a lot of money! They increase the closing rate for a company which translates into higher sales and profits! Less waste. When marketing is able to get sales integrating the USP, then implementation of the system is more successful. Salespeople are on the front line. They know what customers are saying and what they like or dislike. This can mean adjustments to the USP can occur regularly and quickly.
A company might have more than one USP depending on different revenue sources. USP's change. They should be reworked and looked at on at least an annual basis. The key factor in change is what the competition is doing.
Waste #6: Failure to understand the Lifetime Value of a Customer
A big area of waste in a company is when marketing decisions are made on the one-time purchase of a customer, not the life-time value of a customer.
For example. A retail clothing company might do a direct mail piece or have a catalog as a way to attract new customers. Let's say the mail piece generates 10 new customers that bought an average of $100 in retail clothing. That's $1000 in sales. In this case, the cost of the mailing, postage, printing, etc cost $1,500.
The company concludes that the mailing didn't work.
That is a waste. A big mistake. What is being wasted is the future opportunity for more customers! Why?
Let's say this retail clothing company has a great product, good customers service and on average those 10 customers come back twice a year and spend $100 each time and keep coming back for an average of 10 years! That's 20 return visits at $100 a piece or $2000. This times 10 customers is a total value of $20,000 generated all from a $1,500 mailing! $20,000 is the lifetime value of these 10 customers. Not to mention the referrals or family members they might motivate to come and start buying.
The waste is $20,000 in new sales opportunity because the company stops doing the mailing! They concluded that they lost money on the mailing because they calculated only from the first, one time purchase, not the lifetime value.
The industry that understands this concept very well is the music and DVD clubs. For $1.00 you can get 5 FREE DVD's. We all know it cost the company more than $1.00 to ship 5 FREE DVD's. What we don't understand but the company does, is the lifetime value of a new customer. They have calculated that over time, or a lifetime of the average customer, there will be additional orders on average that more than make up for a slight loss in the original mailing.
This is how a marketing budget should be determined. As long as the cash flow can handle it, more and more testing should be done and evaluations made on the lifetime value concept. Even if a company needed to borrow money to do marketing, they may find out that marketing brings a better return than any other investment the company could make. This is often the case.
This lifetime value is the same information used by manufacturers in determining to purchase a piece of equipment. Up front, they may not cover costs but over the lifetime of the equipment, the return justifies the investment. Such should be the same thinking about marketing.
Waste #7: Failure to make advertising Direct Response
In the 21st Century, the investment required for successful media advertising can be very significant. Many business owners try to do a little bit of advertising in the paper or radio or billboard, etc. but find out they don't get back any return. They become frustrated and upset.
There are two reasons for this frustration. First, there probably isn't enough advertising going on in a synergistic way that creates results. If the company is advertising on radio, they might need to do newspaper and billboard as well. If they start marketing and advertising on the web, they probably need to do off-line marketing to support it. These costs and investments can become very difficult to maintain. A huge waste of money.
The second reason the advertising falls short is most are doing what is called "institutional advertising" rather than Direct Response advertising. They are sold by the advertising agency that "branding" and "positioning" is important. They are told that if they don't advertise, their competition will and beat them to the customer. These are both possible true statements. But, not necessarily true.
Our recommendation to small business is to make all advertising direct response.
That is, make it create a response of some kind i.e. a lead, purchase or request for more information. That way, the advertising can be measured. It can be held accountable.
Direct Response is covered in step five and seven of our system. Briefly, there are several important elements that should go into every advertisement that makes the ad direct response. These elements include: Headlines, sub-headlines, good copy, offer, urgency, reply mechanisms, bonus, P.S., etc.
If a company will follow these rules, the advertising can be tracked and different testing accomplished. Institutional advertising simply tells people that the company is in business and has great service. There is no USP, offer, urgency, bonus, reply mechanisms, etc. Therefore, the company cannot measure results. A big waste.
By implementing direct response marketing into all advertising, different testing can be used to make the same dollar invested return more in leads, sales or even an opt-in E-mail database. Waste (in the form of non-producing ads) are eliminated.
Even with direct response, there is branding and positioning that can be accomplished. At the same time, if there is room in the marketing budget, branding and institutional advertising in and of themselves can be effective.
It's simply the case that most small to medium sized companies can't afford both types of advertising.
Waste #8: Failure to leverage relationships: Inside and outside the business
Whether a business is just getting started or has been in business many years, one of the biggest wastes that occurs is the failure of the business to examine how relationships with other businesses and customers can create a lot more sales.
These are referred to as endorsements and alliances. They are covered in step four of the system.
The most significant marketing asset of any business is the customer base. A business owner should know which customers can lead the business to more customers. An endorsement is secured and an endorsed mailing is sent to the clients and or customers of the company's customer. This can open the doors to thousands of prospects - WITHOUT SPENDING MORE MONEY ON ADVERTISING.
So, the rule should be to examine the 20% of customers that are generating 80% of the business. Approach them for an endorsement (of the company's USP) and work out a regular endorsed mailing. This failure to use customers in this way is a big marketing waste.
In looking at the 20% first approach those customers who are already giving the company referrals. This endorsement simply becomes a more formal consistent way to generate more referrals.
Then, look outside the company database. Look to complementary businesses that have customers or clients your company could serve.
Approach these businesses with the same endorsed mailing opportunity. Maybe you can endorse them to your customer base in return!
Don't let these relationships go underutilized - such a waste.
Waste #9 Failure to implement Direct Marketing
Throughout my consulting experience, I have come close to creating the CORE five. This would include Direct Marketing step #7.
This is because the most underutilized marketing asset in any company is the phone. It is so inexpensive yet can yield so many new profit opportunities. Any use of phone could be classified as direct marketing. It can be used to generate leads, repeat business, upselling, close sales, follow-up on prospects, etc. Yet, many companies don't use it as they should.
Much of the same could be said now for E-mails. They can do much the same as a phone - contacting prospects, following up on presentations, upselling, creating newsletters, etc.
Direct marketing includes: direct sales by salespeople, E-mail marketing, Web marketing, teleprospecting and telemarketing, direct mail, etc. These are all marketing methods that can be tested on a small scale, without risking a lot of dollars to find out which can work and which won't work.
One of the biggest marketing wastes is that companies roll out marketing in big numbers before testing on a small scale first. One Artist's marketing director invested $20,000 to print and mail 20,000 catalogs to museums. Not one sale. He should have tested with 2000 first to see if anyone was interested. This would have cost $2,000 instead of $20,000. He wasted $18,000.
There are probably staff members in every company that could test offers, etc. on the phone. Contact top customers to upsell or invite them in for a special offer. Salespeople can be calling during downtime.
Clearly, one of the biggest wastes today is that companies are not testing direct marketing on the world wide web. Waste #10.
Waste #10: Failure to start marketing on the Web
The technology of the web has evened the playing field between large companies and single owner companies. What a great opportunity for small businesses. Yet, most still don't even have a web site. What a waste.
Internet penetration is now at 69% for North America. The number of high-speed internet users almost doubles every year.
The first objective of course is to get the company a USP. From there, you can determine if this USP can be sold over the web either by providing more information for prospects to learn about your company or actually creating a sale - E-commerce.
Yet, the purpose of this section in the report is to encourage all companies that have static information websites to begin thinking about how they can make sales from their site. You can test a pay per click campaign for less money that you can do a direct mail campaign to learn the same things.
The international usage of the web is also expanding. Asia has 418 million users, Europe 322 million, North America 233 million and Latin America 110 million. With those numbers growing year by year, there could be an opportunity for any company to sell something to them over the web.
Internet marketing - is your website making enough sales is addressed in the bonus step of our system. It is important to make an evaluation of your website and have the help of others in determining how best to use the web. This is why this bonus step is also considered part of the Big Four. You'll need the help of designers, programmers, marketers, SEO experts, etc. to succeed, whether you do these tasks yourself or outsource them to others.
As long as you stay away from the web, there is waste. Even if you have a local store that sells only locally, the web resources can be a big help in creating more sales and profits. Learn how to use this technology to your benefit and eliminate that area of waste in your marketing.
CONCLUSION
I hope this free report has been of help to you. Even if you don't become our customer, you can find new cash and new sales by eliminating these areas of waste in your marketing. And, if you do become a customer, I'm confident you'll be able to systematically eliminate all of these wastes by implementing our system into your business.
Either way, I hope you'll find great success in your marketing efforts.

For 15 years we have helped businesses increase their sales and profits 25-100% or more, without spending more money on traditional advertising.
We've created a unique, non-traditional marketing system that helps companies uncover, leverage, and optimize their existing marketing assets.
Our system is featured by Dell, IBM, The International Guild of Professional Consultants and the US Department of Commerce's Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
You can learn more about 21st Century Marketing Systems at:
http://www.21st-CenturyMarketing.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3437708

People call this place The City of Garbage - Cairo

The Outlook of Recycling

Recycling is the process of taking used products and reusing them. Most often recycling involves collecting the waste products and processing them into a new product. Recycled items include, paper, plastic, glass and metals. There are many items that can be recycled. Recycling is something that came to the fore front as means of reducing waste and helping to save the environment from the hazards of landfills.
The Start of Recycling
Recycling was first really talked about in the 1970s. However, recycling is a natural thing. Many people recycle and do not even think about it. For example, when you buy something at a garage sale, you are recycling that item. You are taking something someone else would have thrown away and putting it to use. Recycling seemed to catch on all over.
Recycling has also seen a surge in popularity as concern is growing about global warming and environmental concerns. People have been educated about the dangers of dumping trash and they want a better future for their children. Additionally, recycling products, like aluminum cans, has been made simple through the introduction of collection bins in many different public places. There are recycle bins in stores, on the street and in many other public places that encourage you to recycle your trash. Many communities also have recycling services that pick up recyclables just like trash is collected.
Increase in Popularity, Increase in Rates
There are many ways that you can recycle for free, but if you have your recyclables collected then you usually have to pay a service fee. With the increase in the number of people recycling and the increase in operating costs, the cost of recycling is going up. Funding from government sources is being cut and that also leads to an increase in recycling rates. Recycling costs are rising and those costs are being passed onto the consumer.
Another Roadblock
Not every product can be easily recycled. This is another roadblock when it comes to recycling. If a recycling center sees an increased demand for recycling a certain product, like batteries, that must be handled specially, then they may decide to start collecting that product. This could lead to higher operating costs.
If a person has to search for a place to recycle, chances are they will just throw it in their trash and forget about it. People want recycling to be hassle free.
The Future
The future of recycling depends on many factors. Some of the things that will effect recycling future include:
- education about recycling
- making recycling more available
- new technological advances
- initiatives and government regulations
There are not a lot of recycling laws on the books. Most people recycle simply because they want to. Many items recycled are those items that would spend years in a landfill. Items like plastic or aluminum can be recycled and used to make new products. This helps to cut down on the amount of raw materials that must be harvested and it keeps these products out of the landfills. Recycling has many benefits, but it is really up to each person to help keep it going strong.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3223153

By John Kirzno

Waste Disposal and Waste Management

Waste disposal is either placing waste in water or onto land. Waste is taken to facilities where the waste is permanently contained and can prevent the release of pollutants into the environment. When disposing of solid waste, it often is placed on land in a landfill. Liquid waste is disposed of in injection wells that bury the refuse deep under ground. These wells are closely monitored to prevent leakage of harmful pollutants into the drinking water.
America alone generates nearly 208 million tons of solid waste per year and it is only expected to increase. Each person actually generates about 4.3 pounds of waste per day. Even though we have developed many different ways to dispose of refuse, there is still no absolutely safe way to remove and store trash.
History of Waste Disposal
The disposal of waste wasn't always so carefully monitored. In the 18th century in England and France, people with carts were paid to carry trash out of town and dispose of it. Benjamin Franklin spurred the first municipal cleaning system in Philadelphia in 1757, making the dumping of trash in open pits a routine action. However, since then our trash has become more complicated and can't simply be placed in a hole in the ground. We have many different types of trash and they must be disposed of properly to prevent contaminating the environment.
Types of Waste
There are many different types of waste and it is classified according to its physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. One of the major ways it is classified is by consistency; whether it is solid or liquid waste. To classify as a solid waste the material must contain less than 70% water. This classification often encompasses materials such as; household garbage, industrial wastes, mining waste, and some oilfield wastes. Liquid wastes must be less than 1% solid and is often from wastewater. Wastewater often contains high levels of dissolved salts and metals. Sludge is the final consistency classification; being somewhere between a liquid and a solid. Sludge often contains between 3 and 25% solids and the rest of it is made up of water dissolved materials.
The Federal government classifies waste into 3 categories; non-hazardous, hazardous, and Special wastes. Non-hazardous waste does not pose any immediate threat to health or the environment. This category includes household refuse. Hazardous wastes can either be ignitable/reactive or leachable. This means that hazardous waste is either flammable or has the potential to leach toxic chemicals. Special wastes have very specific guidelines to regulate it. Examples of Special Waste would be radioactive waste and medical waste.
How do we dispose of it?
There are a variety of ways that we dispose of trash and waste. Landfill use is the most common and can account for more than 90% of the countries municipal waste. However, landfills have been proven to contaminate drinking water in some regions. Landfills are the most cost-effective way of disposing; collection and transport represents 75% of the total cost involved. In modern landfills, the garbage is spread thin in compacted layers and then is covered by fresh earth. Landfills minimize pollution by lining the hole, contouring the fill, compacting and planting the top cover layer, diverting drainage, and by choosing sites that are not often affected by flooding or high groundwater levels. Clay is the best type of soil for a landfill because it is less permeable than other types of soil. Some materials that are disposed of in landfills can be solidified into solid materials like cement, fly ash, asphalt, or organic polymers.
Garbage is also disposed of using incinerators. This method is more costly but safer than a landfill. Modern incinerators can destroy nearly 99.9% of organic waste material. Many thermal processes recover energy from the solid waste that is incinerated. Pyrolysis, the process of chemical breakdown can produce a plethora of gasses and inert ash. Incinerators that burn garbage have been known to contaminate the air, soil, and water. Many communities near incinerators object to them for fear of possible harmful emissions.
Hazardous waste is also pumped into deep wells inside the earth. This is called waste injection. Many people are strongly opposed to this because it has caused explosions and even earthquakes in the past.
Organic materials that contain little or no heavy metals can be detoxified biologically. This is often done by composting and land farming; where waste materials are spread over a large area of land so that microbes can easily work to decompose them. However, hazardous wastes must be detoxified before they leach into the groundwater causing water contamination.
Recycling solid waste is not a new idea. In prehistoric times, metal tools were often melted down and recast. These days, recyclable materials are removed from municipal waste by shredding, magnetic separation of metals, screening, and washing. Composting involves the preparing of waste and breaking down the organic matter using aerobic microorganisms. This has lead to many municipalities and garbage collection agencies to require their customers to separate recyclable items from other types of household waste.
Another type of waste is livestock waste. It is created by large livestock companies. These generate more than 30 times the waste that humans do. Yearly, livestock waste accounts for 1.375 billion tons of refuse. The Environmental Products and Technologies Corporation has developed a system to reduce the amount of livestock waste. With their Closed Loop Waste Management System they can turn animal waste into commercial quantities of pathogen free, nutrient dense, soil building materials.
The Future of Waste
Currently, the best way to reduce the amount of waste that must be disposed of is to prevent its creation. Consumers must protest against the production of needless waste and push the movement for using and producing recycled products. These strategies to reduce waste may cost us more upfront but we will pay a lesser price in the end. Reducing waste can add extra years in which we can live on this planet healthfully.

Contact WasteCare for waste disposal services or if you need a waste management company.

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