An amazing 99.61% of Trash NOT Going to Landflills

Matt Forrer, one of the managers of our project from Butz/Burkey provided us with this amazing December update on the project's recycling history:


The Berks County Community Foundation project is implementing a job-site recycling program with a goal of diverting 75% of the project’s waste from landfills. To date 196.06 tons of material or 99.61% of the project’s waste has been diverted from landfills.

In December the project produced 5.12 tons of waste. This material was commingled in one container at the job-site and separated by material type off-site. At the recycling center the load is separated out my material type. Some materials are processed at the recycling center before being shipped out to mills, and other processors. Other materials are shipped out bulk. The following materials are recovered at the recycling facility.

-Metal (Steel) waste is consolidated, processed (shredded) and cleaned before being transported to a mill for recycling
-Trash is transferred to a landfill for disposal.
-Drywall is processed into a soil amendment, fertilizer and conditioner. The paper is removed by shaker tables and used as animal bedding. Much of the material from the Friend’s center was vinyl; faced drywall. For this material to be recycled, the vinyl face must first be removed, which must be done by hand.
-Wood waste is processed into mulch and compost products.
-Plastics are separated into board categories. The material is then baled and shipped overseas. The material is then separated by hand into specific plastic types (LDPE, HDPE, PVC, PP, etc.). Specific types of plastics then follow many steps including processing, washing and extruding. Recycled plastics are then mixed with virgin plastics and used to make new plastic products.
-Cardboard is baled and shipped to mills where it is recycled into new cardboard products


The current Landfill Diversion Rate is 99.61%
Material Weight (lbs) Percentage
Rubble 192.34 97.72%
Wood 3.05 1.55%
Metal 0.42 0.21%
Plastic 0.16 0.08%
Cardboard 0.09 0.05%
Drywall 0.00 0.00%
Total diverted from landfills 196.06 99.61%

Trash 0.76 0.39%

Total Materials 196.82
Landfill Diversion Rate 99.61%
Rubble includes masonry, brick, block, asphalt, concrete etc.