Companies are turning to recycling used commercial equipment. Not only is it helping build on benchmark goals, but it’s also helping create a company culture around environmental responsibility and corporate sustainability. Old commercial equipment might seem to have outlived their usefulness for your business, but reverse logistics companies and recycling yards can help you put them to use while protecting the planet. Learn how recycling encourages environmental responsibility, which types of commercial materials can be recycled, and three easy ways to recycle your used equipment.

How Recycling Commercial Equipment Supports Environmental Responsibility

Recycling, or recasting waste into sustainable matter, works hand-in-hand with ecological responsibility. By producing goods in a method that is environmentally focused, you can help your company lean into sustainability goals that are concrete, measurable, and simple. Recycling is a cornerstone element contributing to the larger goal of meeting green goals and encouraging environmental responsibility.

For commercial equipment specifically, recycling could include:

• Municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling
• Metals separation and recycling
• Industrial and commercial waste 
• E-waste recycling
• Transfer station recycling

Additionally, when you remove recyclable materials, you’re saving your corporation additional revenue with a smaller environmental footprint. Instead of incurring additional disposal fees for each additional trip needed to haul away debris, you can reduce the cost by recycling commercial equipment; This limits the number of times trash needs to be picked up and reduces the cost of bailing collection and transportation. In turn, this helps your corporation achieve environmental responsibility benchmark goals and those for the disposal companies too.

According to the latest United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fact sheet, recycling has risen 375 percent in less than four decades from 1980 to 2018. The total amount of MSW has also increased by less than one million tons in about the same time range. Commercial efforts to increase recycling efforts are substantially impacting future generations.

At SAM Auctions, minimizing environmental impact is at the heart of what we do. Our zero-waste policy is based on three principles: reuse, reduce, and recycle. We recycle 2-3 metal bins per auction filled with approximately 40 cubic yards per bin. Additionally, we resell and put into reuse 85 percent of the commercial equipment. Then, we recycle another 11 percent with local yards. Due to these efforts, we’ve reduced trash by up to 70 percent of a standard store closure. Learn more about our sustainability.

Commercial Materials That Can Be Recycled

Commercial materials can be recycled in two ways. First, if the equipment is functional and in demand, it can be reused. If not, it can be broken down as scrap and sent to local recycling yards.

The 9 Most-Common Recyclable Products Reported by EPA: 

1. Lead-acid batteries
2. Corrugated boxes
3. Steel cans
4. Newspapers/mechanical papers
5. Major appliances
6. Aluminum cans
7. Mixed paper
8. Tires
9. Selected consumer electronics

Many information technology equipment pieces can be recycled if you’re managing a commercial corporation handling various electronic items. Check the list below for some of the typical recyclables your corporation could be turning over.

17 Commercial Electronics That Can Be Recycled:

• Computers, including desktop and laptop
• Computer accessories, including monitors, keyboards, mice, and additional accessories
• Printers, including toner/ink cartridges
• Scanners
• Motherboards
• LCD/CRT display devices, including monitors and televisions
• Smartboards
• Photocopying machines and projectors
• Cameras, including still and movie, video, and cartridge
• Dictation machines, recorders
• Landline telephones 
• Fax machines
• Gaming systems
• Microwaves
• Audio devices, including radios and Walkie-Talkies
• Power supplies
• USP battery backups
  
  
  

3 Easy Ways to Recycle Commercial Equipment

Collaborate with SAM Auctions

Our team at SAM is dedicated to practicing environmental responsibility with our procedures and methods. We recycle or repurpose 95 percent of everything we touch. Knowing how important it is for your corporation to meet its green goals, we provide you with carbon offset reporting upon project completion.

Sustainability is a core component of our services. We are committed to minimizing our environmental footprint and keeping our communities clean by acting responsibly to benefit our company, clients, and the environment. Learn more about our zero-waste policy and commitment to environmental responsibility.

Contact Your Local Municipality or County

Depending on local regulations, specific materials and equipment may be recyclable; you’ll want to check with your local municipality or county for detailed information. 

At SAM Auctions, we’re headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. You can learn more about Maricopa County transfer stations, accepted items and fees, waste disposal information, and more on this Waste Resources & Recycling page.

Check What and Where You Can Recycle

Keep America Beautiful is a leading national nonprofit organization that offers actionable steps for beautifying and improving local communities. Their webpage, I Want to Be, shares educational material on which substances can be recycled, local recycling center contact information, and the top impacts of recycling.

Additional Environmental Responsibility Recycling Tip

Don’t feel like you’re in this alone. The most successful commercial corporations are working toward adding environmental responsibility by pairing up with local experts; This helps you as a business owner to learn what your corporation can do to recycle and put to reuse. Additionally, it broadens your professional network and gives new avenues for collaborating with reverse logistics companies, like SAM Auctions, recycling yards, and local council members.  

Discover how SAM Auctions is a environmentally responsible industry leader that you can collaborate with and trust. Our company’s unprecedented growth has earned a place on the Inc. 5000 list and featured in multiple publications and media outlets as a “Company to Watch.” In business for over 35 years, we’ve built an industry reputation on trust. Learn more about how we’re hitting our sustainability benchmark goals in this quick 1-minute video.