Bigbelly excited to be one of seven bin manufacturers that are joining Recycle Across America (RAA) on their mission to implement a society-wide standardized labels solution to make it easy for people everywhere to recycle right, and to help our customers’ recycling programs thrive.
The Bigbelly-sized labels for every stream sorting need measure 11″ x 17″ and are stickers for the front doors. RAA has also created 18″ x 30″ message panel inserts (for the sides of the bins) with artwork from their celebrity ‘Let’s Recycling Right!’ campaign. Stickers and message panel inserts can be purchased directly through RAA’s web store: www.recycleacrossamerica.org/bigbelly-bins →
Read on for the press release published by Recycle Across America announcing bin partners:
Minneapolis, MN – August 23, 2018: China has historically purchased more than 30% of U.S. recyclables. However, in January of this year, they enacted the China National Sword Policy, banning the purchase of the majority of U.S. recyclables due to the high levels of garbage mixed in with the recyclables (also known as contamination). As a result of the ban, China now purchases less than 3% of U.S. recyclables. China’s reaction to the contaminated recycling from the U.S. has led to a collapse in recycling markets, causing much of U.S. recyclables to be sent to landfills.
In a historic effort to resolve this crisis, leading bin manufacturers, including BearSaver, Bigbelly Smart Waste and Recycling Systems, CleanRiver Bins, EZ Dump Commercial, Landmark Studios, Max-R, and Securr are joining forces with nonprofit organization Recycle Across AmericaⓇ (RAA) to offer the standardized recycling labels on their recycling, compost and trash bins to make it easy for the public to recycle properly throughout society. They are joining this national movement to help eliminate the public’s confusion at the bin, which has been the primary cause of the contaminated recycling and China’s ban.
To date, there are nearly nine million standardized labels displayed on recycling bins throughout the U.S., which are proving to often double and triple recycling levels and significantly reduce or eliminate the contamination. In turn, the standardized labels help reduce the cost of processing the recyclables and allow manufacturers in many industries to have access to high quality recycled commodities at competitive prices, thereby preventing the depletion of finite natural resources.
“There is an environmental bottleneck that has been happening as a result of public confusion, apathy, and skepticism with recycling, which has been the byproduct of inconsistent labels throughout society. That’s why this is truly a historic moment to have these bin manufacturers demonstrate their leadership, uniting with this solution on behalf of their customers and the public. They understand the societal, environmental and industry benefits that come when the public can instantly know how to recycle right, wherever they are in the U.S.” said Mitch Hedlund, Founder of Recycle Across America.
“Bigbelly is proud to partner with RAA to help spread the adoption of standardized recycling labels, making it easy for our customers to join the movement. Longstanding partnerships with cities, colleges, and facilities that use Bigbelly for their standard public space bins give us a unique opportunity to extend RAA’s mission. Standardized labels further enhance the impact of Bigbelly’s uniform system that measures and reports on recycling diversion while reducing communities’ overall environmental footprint.”
– Brian Phillips, CEO of Bigbelly
Additionally, RAA has launched a coast to coast celebrity-led public service (PSA) campaign called, “Let’s recycle right!Ⓡ” to bring attention to the standardized labels solution and the need for proper recycling. As the largest multi-media campaign in U.S. history created to help society recycle right, the TV commercials are airing in all of the major cities across the U.S. and have already been increasing the adoption of the standardized labels for bins.
# # #
Recycle Across America (RAA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which has developed the first and only society-wide standardized labeling system for recycling bins to help eliminate the public confusion surrounding recycling and to improve the economics of closed-loop manufacturing. RAA and the standardized labels have been identified as a world-changing solution by Ashoka Global Innovators for the Public and proclaimed “one of the most important environmental fixes taking root today.”
For more information about RAA’s standardized label initiative or its celebrity-led ‘Let’s Recycle Right’ campaign, visit www.recycleacrossamerica.org or contact info@recycleacrossasmerica.org
