Mixed Trailer Loads: A Smart Recycling Solution

"Overall we generate large quantities of recyclable production waste but not truck load quantities of any particular commodity. Typically, I have been told that recyclers only want truckload quantities."

Does it feel like it’s too difficult to achieve high landfill diversion rates?

While a handful (~1%) of companies are able to achieve zero waste (90-95% landfill diversion), most businesses struggle to reach these numbers and hover around 40%-50% landfill diversion.

Why do some businesses achieve such high levels of landfill diversion while others fall short? 

Many of the the companies that achieve zero waste tend to have significant resources to invest in transforming their sustainability programs and have invested in zero waste initiatives over the course of several years. However, one characteristic that is common amongst many businesses that achieve a zero designation, outside of their serious commitment to sustainability, is that they usually have large quantities of one or more recyclable commodities.

For instance some businesses produce multiple truckloads of baled recycled material every month. Some every day!

For most businesses, however, this isn’t the case. Accumulating a full truckload of a single commodity often requires using valuable warehouse or manufacturing space for extended periods. While these companies may recycle one type of material and potentially receive a rebate, other recyclable materials in smaller quantities often end up in landfills because storing them for full truckload volumes is impractical.

If your business is having a hard time achieving high levels of landfill diversion, Mixed Trailer loads may be a fit for your company. 

What is a mixed trailer load?

A mixed trailer load involves either a live load or drop trailer that is filled with multiple types of recyclable commodities. For example, a mixed trailer could contain bales of paper, aluminum, e-waste, various grades of plastic, and more.

Although the rebate may not be as high as a truckload of a single recyclable material, this method allows companies to recycle a broader range of materials without sacrificing operational efficiency or valuable warehouse space. In many cases, companies even receive rebates for items that would otherwise have gone to the landfill. 

Real Life Example:

A Tier 1 auto supplier was struggling to consistently move the recyclable plastic scrap generated from its operations. Although they produced significant quantities of plastic scrap overall, they didn’t generate enough of any single type of plastic to attract interest from processors who typically focus on specific polymers (e.g., HDPE but not polypropylene). When they did manage to sell their scrap, they often didn’t receive full credit because buyers considered some of the materials as contamination due to their limited processing capabilities. This forced the company to use valuable production and warehouse space to store large quantities of plastic scrap.

After partnering with Closed Loop Solutions as their sustainability provider, they were able to recycle 100% of their plastic scrap. Closed Loop leveraged its Preferred Partner network and proprietary tech-enabled logistics to identify a solution that allowed the auto supplier to consistently and efficiently move their recyclable plastic scrap.

If you're interested in exploring how a mixed trailer approach could enhance your company's sustainability program, please fill out the below form:

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