Sustainability at Recology can be found at the intersection of our social and environmental values – where our efforts to support our communities' goals to maximize resource recovery are coupled with strategic initiatives to minimize the environmental impact of our operations. Our efforts support ongoing commitments to cultivate a safe, supportive, and inclusive work environment for our employee owners.
We are proud to publish our 2021 Sustainability Report, showcasing our company-wide commitments to reducing the environmental impact of our operations, supporting our diverse employee owners, and partnering with local communities to achieve our shared goals.
Resource recovery requires much more than just curbside pickup of household recyclables and compostables. Advancing the limits of material recovery, even amid the challenges of 2020, remains at the core of the Recology Waste Zero philosophy.
In 2020, Recology processed approximately 644,000 tons of recyclable materials collected from homes, businesses, sports venues, and construction projects.
Through our network of eight composting facilities, Recology processed over 810,000 tons of food scraps, yard trimmings, and farm surplus in 2020 – a 60% increase since 2011.
In 2020, our outreach teams conducted over 1,000 in-person presentations and facility tours before shifting to online platforms to host an additional 200 virtual presentations, reaching over 2,700 attendees.
Across our operations, Recology is committed to providing essential services and maximizing resource recovery while minimizing impacts to the environment. Through ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiencies and adopt renewable and carbon-free energy to power our operations, Recology is helping create a more sustainable future.
The Recology fleet is powered by a diverse energy portfolio of more than 13 fuel types and blends, including an increasing portion of renewable diesel, biomethane, and electricity.
Our efforts to procure cleaner grid-based energy led to more than 90% of electricity used to power Recology facilities being sourced from renewable or carbon-free sources and a 33% reduction in emissions since 2019.
Recology is the largest 100% employee-owned company in the waste and resource recovery industry, bringing together a diverse and dynamic team of more than 3,700 employee owners. Employee ownership drives our company culture and reinforces each employee’s commitment to the company’s mission and vision.
Recology has a unique workplace culture that guides how we support employees, interact with our customers, serve our communities, and care for the environment.
Our top priority is to ensure the health and safety of our essential workforce and the communities we serve. Perhaps never more than today has the integrity and timeliness of our services been more critical in keeping our communities clean, functioning, and resilient.
At Recology, sustainability means supporting our employee owners, engaging our local communities, and protecting the natural environment. In December 2019, we published our first comprehensive Sustainability Report. This year, we are proud to present our second report and continue to build upon measurable progress made throughout the past year.
