SIOUX FALLS, S.D., April 3, 2014 - Millennium Recycling, Inc. celebrates its 15th anniversary this week by challenging Sioux Falls residents to participate in Earth Day, coming up on April 22. Today, the company released
fifteen local Earth Day ideas for the community to get involved.
CEO Jake Anderson has been focused on improving recycling in Sioux Falls since Millennium Recycling, Inc. opened on April 1st, 1999. Fifteen years later, the company is known as an innovative recycling leader employing 50 people, serving South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa, and recycling over 100 Million pounds of material per year.
"Our goal has always been to raise overall awareness of recycling and to move the needle by diverting materials from the landfill," says Anderson. "We've faced many obstacles over the years with our innovative concepts to increase recycling. Thanks to the help of our employees, our customers, and all of the people and organizations who have embraced our ideas, we've been able to play a crucial role in raising the recycling rate in Sioux Falls."
Recycling significantly lowers the carbon footprint of new products and produces less pollution than making items from raw materials. For example, aluminum cans made from recycled material use just one twelfth of the energy required to make cans from scratch. New technology has played a huge part in creating these energy savings and Millennium Recycling, Inc. has made significant investments to stay at the forefront of the industry.
"We make it a point to keep up with the industry and continually improve our operations," says Anderson. "People don't realize how sophisticated and mature the recycling industry is today; it's global in nature and is ever-changing. Landfilling is not a sensible long term strategy for managing any community's waste. There is a robust demand for materials and we can supply it. Recycling material employs a lot of people and adds life to the landfill, which will save the Sioux Falls tax payers millions of dollars in the long run."
Dedicated to staying on top of the industry while giving back to the community, Millennium Recycling, Inc. has achieved many accomplishments over the past fifteen years:
- Became first South Dakota electronics recycler in 2004 and launched Bargain Bytes in 2005, the only R2 and e-Stewards certified IT Asset Disposition company in the Dakotas.
- Became first Single Stream recycler in the state in 2007, resulting in city-wide Single Stream recycling in 2012 after the positive impacts were shown on community participation.
- Continually seeks out opportunities to expand recycling by accepting new categories over the years including glass, cartons, boxboard, and various types of plastics.
-
Started
Ecomaniacs program in 2010 to keep Sioux Falls events clean and spread recycling awareness. The program has since raised event diversion rates from zero to 50% and has donated around
$60,000 to local not-for-profit organizations.
- Established K-12 recycling resources through online education, classroom visits and facility tours.
- Selected to join Gov. Daugaard in 2013 on trade mission in China to gain new opportunities for South Dakota businesses in the Chinese Market.
Millennium Recycling Inc. relies on recycling supporters in the community to help spread the word on the importance of recycling. To get involved, check out the fifteen local Earth Day ideas at
www.millenniumrecycling.com/EarthDay2014.
