Most companies think about waste only when a dumpster is full or an invoice arrives. Waste optimization flips that mindset. Instead of just “taking out the trash,” you design how waste leaves your facility so it costs less, runs smoother, and supports your environmental goals.

Every manufacturer faces the reality of factory seconds — products that are functional but don’t meet retail’s strict quality standards. A small scratch, dent, misprint, or outdated package can prevent a product from being sold as first-quality.

Searching “industrial recycling company near me” usually surfaces nearby scrap yards, cardboard recyclers, or municipal MRFs. Those can be great for pallets, OCC, and basic container service. But most manufacturers and warehouses also generate streams that are heavier, more complicated, or more specialized than the local shop is built to handle. That’s where a wider outlet network and a national operating model often outperform “closest to me.”

Excess inventory is one of the most common yet overlooked challenges in modern business. Every company — from consumer goods manufacturers to industrial suppliers — eventually finds itself with more product than it can sell.

Every ton of steel produced generates byproducts that are often overlooked yet hold untapped value. One of the most important of these byproducts is mill scale—a flaky, dark, iron-rich material that forms on the surface of hot-rolled steel. For decades, mill scale was treated as waste, swept away and discarded.

If you’ve spent time in recycling literature, you’ve almost certainly seen the claim that the United States generates 7.6 billion tons of industrial waste each year. It’s quoted by consultants, repeated on agency handouts, and echoed across blogs and corporate pages.

The waste of industries—sometimes called industrial refuse or factory waste—is one of the largest and least understood contributors to global waste streams. While municipal solid waste (household trash) often dominates public discussion, the reality is that industrial waste represents over 50% of total solid waste generated in the United States each year.

Industrial recycling and recovery are critical components of a modern, sustainable economy. Every year, U.S. industries generate nearly 8 billion tons of industrial solid waste—a figure that dwarfs municipal waste streams many times over.

Industrial byproducts are secondary materials generated from manufacturing, agricultural, and commercial processes that can be transformed from waste into valuable resources. This comprehensive guide covers what industrial byproducts are, how to manage them in accordance with regulatory requirements, and proven strategies to maximize their economic and environmental value for your facility.

Industrial materials recycling involves the reprocessing of waste from manufacturing operations—like metal scraps, baghouse dusts, and foundry sand—to conserve resources and minimize environmental impact.

Industrial recycling plays a pivotal role in modern manufacturing, helping facilities reduce waste, lower costs, and promote environmental sustainability. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), industrial recycling programs have helped divert over 75 million tons of materials from landfills annually in the United States alone.

In psychology, one of the most powerful but overlooked concepts is functional fixedness—the tendency to see objects only in terms of their traditional use. It’s a cognitive bias that keeps us locked into narrow patterns of thinking, preventing us from seeing creative solutions that may be right in front of us.

Slag is one of the world’s oldest and most widespread industrial byproducts. Formed during the smelting or refining of metals, it has been both a challenge and an opportunity for industries for thousands of years. Today, slag recycling offers manufacturers, steelmakers, and foundries a chance to reduce waste, recover value, and support sustainable growth.

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber has become one of the most widely used synthetic elastomers in the world. Known for its durability, weather resistance, and versatility, EPDM is everywhere—from roofing membranes to automotive seals.

When companies think about waste, they often picture costly disposal and complex regulations. But what if that same material could become a resource instead of a liability?

That’s the promise of beneficial reuse…

Corrugated plastic, commonly known under trade names such as Coroplast, Correx, or Polyflute, really emerged in the 1990s as a lightweight, durable alternative to corrugated fiberboard (Coroplast).

When manufacturers and warehouse operators search for “industrial recycling near me,” they’re usually facing an urgent need: reduce landfill costs, improve sustainability metrics, or find a home for a difficult waste stream.

When most people think of recycling, they imagine cardboard, aluminum cans, or maybe the occasional pallet. But in the industrial world, waste comes in many unexpected forms—and more of it is recyclable than you might think.

Industrial recycling isn't just a trend or a checkbox on a sustainability report. It's a practical, cost-saving, and strategic approach to managing waste streams in manufacturing and distribution environments.

Sustainability has become a popular buzzword across industries, but when it comes to waste management, what does it actually mean for a company to manage its waste sustainably?