Millennium Recycling News
January 2016

How Are We Doing?
Quality Alert
 STYROFOAM.
This squeaky, messy material also known as expanded polystyrene is NOT recyclable in Sioux Falls and gets everywhere if mixed in the single stream.  Please keep an eye out for this material.
Thanks for your help!
Thank you Drivers for watching for Contamination!
We truly appreciate your help to keep the recycling stream clean and the process going smoothly!

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NEW Single Stream Guide for 2016 
We are excited to announce a new residential Single Stream guide is now available to all Millennium customers to help reduce contamination through customer education. We worked closely with the City of Sioux Falls and local waste haulers to compile a uniform list of recyclable materials to make sure everyone was listing the same items. We have taken the guide one step further to make it available to our customers outside of Sioux Falls as well. You can now access the guide right on our website. If you would like FREE copies to handout to your customers, contact us!
What is Non-Domestic OCC?

What is it?
The production of boxes overseas varies greatly from boxes made in the U.S. - the main difference being the fiber yield. Non-Domestic, also referred to as Asian OCC,  is made of lower fiber quality due to virgin fiber shortages in those countries, often times is has already been recycled many times. This leads to weaker material that is less resistant to water and drastically lowers the fiber quality.

Why is it a problem?
Fiber mills have to treat Non-Domestic OCC similar to mixed paper. At Millennium, we try to manage the amount in each load sent to mills to ensure it will be accepted. Depending on the amount in the load, it may be downgraded by the mill or even be rejected. 

Where does it come from?
Due to many products being shipped from Non-Domestic countries, many retailers generate a large percentage of Non-Domestic boxes.

How can you spot it?
You can usually identify Non-Domestic OCC by the grayish color, or  by ripping it - it tears apart very easily and is full of short fibers. It may look similar on the outside, but the bottom line is the shorter the fiber, the weaker the board.

What should you do with it?
You can recycle Non-Domestic OCC with your OCC loads, but excess amounts may result in a lower grade. If you are concerned about lowering the value of your OCC, it can be recycled in the single stream instead. 

NEW: Downgrade Process
In 2016 we rolled out our new and improved Downgrade process, giving you on-demand access to photos and details for any loads with contamination.  If you missed the announcement, you can see the full instructions here on how to access your photos . 
Resources Just For You:

Our simple waste audit can help reduce contamination and increase your recycling rate. Contact us to schedule an on-location waste audit with your commercial customers. 

Get quick access to educational tools, guidelines and resources all in one place. 
 
MILLENNIUM'S QUARTERLY NEWS
"On the Line" is our quarterly newsletter meant to keep you i nformed on current events at our facility, in our community and in the recycling industry. If you want to hear about a topic or have a question you want us to answer, please let us know! We look forward to keeping you updated, thanks for your continued partnership as a Millennium Recycling customer.