This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Taking More Of The "Waste" Out Of Your Waste Stream

Small businesses can save money on their monthly garbage bills and help extend the life of our regional landfill with help from CleanScapes.

Small businesses can save money on their monthly garbage bills with the help of an audit from CleanScapes.

“CleanScapes offers waste audits to help businesses and organizations save money and conserve resources. Because recycling service costs significantly less than garbage collection, most businesses and organizations save money by wasting less and recycling more. Customers save even more by separating food and yard waste or by reducing waste altogether.” Small businesses can save up to 60% on their garbage bill according to CleanScapes website.

To schedule a waste audit call CleanScapes at 1-855-859-6700.

Find out what's happening in Shoreline-Lake Forest Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

CleanScapes education staff, offer engaging and hands-on waste reduction, recycling and composting workshops for businesses and organizations in Seattle, Shoreline, Issaquah and Des Moines.

These “Lunch & Learn Workshops” can show business owners how to implement their recycling and composting programs so they become an integral part of the business culture. 

Find out what's happening in Shoreline-Lake Forest Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rabanco aka Allied Waste also serving the Puget Sound region does not offer waste auditing, but their website contains information about what happens to items moving through their recycling facilities and the Roosevelt Regional Landfill where our garbage is deposited. Did you know that tin cans are converted into rebar? Or that plastic containers are recycled into shoe inserts, recycling containers, bins and buckets? 

At the landfill there is a power plant that converts the methane collected into electricity. Currently the power plant produces 10 megawatts of electrical power. It is anticipated that the landfill “may eventually produce 52 megawatts of electricity; enough power for roughly 30,000 homes!” 

The Roosevelt Landfill has enough capacity to continue to accept garbage until 2080. If businesses and residences in Washington, Alaska and Oregon can continue to reduce the amount of garbage generated the life of the landfill can be extended. This is important to controlling future costs. Finding alternative locations to send garbage will be expensive.  And what about the electricity that is being generated fro Methane? According to Allied Waste they will continue to generate electricity from methane 10 to 20 years after the landfill is closed. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Shoreline-Lake Forest Park