Recology

Ever wondered which types of plastics get recycled most? Do you want to know what happens to your blue bin materials after they’re collected at the curb? In honor of #EarthMonth, we sat down with Julia Mangin, our Head of Sustainability, to discuss the truth about recycling and some of the mysteries that surround it. Check out our conversation at https://bit.ly/3VRLKwU.

Recology is proud to be the first waste and recycling company to pilot a hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric refuse collection truck! Our partners, New Way® Trucks and Hyzon, have delivered cutting-edge technology that will bring our industry closer to achieving a zero-emission future. We’re so excited to test this vehicle on the streets of San Francisco as part of our pioneering efforts to reduce waste and use clean energy. “Recology’s leadership on recycling and composting helped make San Francisco ‘the greenest big city in the nation’” said Recology CEO Sal Coniglio. “Now we are leading the way on sustainable operations.” Read more at https://bit.ly/3T5Ymy6

We had an amazing time at our 2024 PNW Safety Road-eo and Company Picnic! This year’s event was held at the Portland Expo Center where Recology actually provides collection and processing services. Our employee-owners and families enjoyed a fun-filled day full of activities like dunking our general and operation managers at the dunk tank, participating in a raffle that featured local sponsorship prizes, and a friendly competition for truck drivers, forklift drivers, and mechanics. A special thank you to our Volunteer Committee, Safety Team, and Recology Ownership Culture Committee for hosting another fantastic event!

We’re excited to announce the release of our 2024 Sustainability Update! This year’s update highlights our commitments to partnering with local communities to advance resource recovery, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting a diverse workforce. Learn more about our past year’s activities and achievements in sustainability at https://lnkd.in/e9EEK-z2.

We’re proud to announce that starting January 2026, we’ll be providing collection and processing services to the City of Redmond, Washington! In addition to collections and processing, we will also be opening a new Recology store within the city limits. We're looking forward to partnering with the community to continue our efforts towards a world without waste. We’ll see you in 2026, Redmond!

As #PlasticFreeJuly comes to an end, we want to thank everyone for using reusable items when you can, educating yourself on how to recycle correctly, and doing your part to reduce waste! At Recology, we aim to continuously invest in our recycling facilities, educate customers about source reduction and proper sorting, and work with producers to ensure the products and packaging they create are truly recyclable to address the larger issue of plastic pollution. Let’s keep working together while we strive for a #plasticfree future!

We are thrilled to announce that Recology King County has won the 2024 Excellence in Recycling Public Education award from the National Waste & Recycling Association! This prestigious recognition highlights our team's dedication to increasing recycling participation, reducing contamination, and promoting reuse. Special shout-out to the RKC Waste Zero team for their incredible work in increasing participation in recycling and composting programs, reducing contamination, promoting reuse, and engaging the community in so many ways. 💚 Join us in congratulating the RKC team and read more about their award at https://bit.ly/4cfQSj7.

We know going completely plastic-free can be challenging, so we're committed to ensuring good recycling systems are in place when plastics need to be used. Over the last five years alone, we’ve invested tens of millions of dollars in advanced technologies to upgrade sorting capabilities across our materials recovery facilities! By implementing artificial intelligence, cutting-edge robotics, and more alongside our skilled hand-sorter employees, we’ve created an intricate system to be sure as much material gets recycled as possible!

The responsibility to recycle shouldn’t fall solely on individual consumers. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) and source reduction policies can help address the gaps in our current recycling systems by requiring manufacturers to take environmental and financial responsibility for the full lifecycle of their products. These policies will bring us closer to a #plasticfree future if done right, which is why we’re actively engaging in the conversation and partnering with organizations to implement these bills!

Until we can eliminate plastics completely, we want to ensure that the maximum amount of recyclable plastic materials get recycled when possible. In 2023 alone, Recology recovered 30.77 million pounds of plastic! If you are unsure of what to put in your recycling bin, be sure to check whatbin.com or contact your local Recology or local jurisdiction. We’re here to help!