Oregon DEQ: Land Quality - Solid Waste - Commercial Waste Reduction Clearinghouse - Success Stories

Cleaning and Janitorial Supplies

Business: Breaker Point Condominiums (Cannon Beach)

Number of Employees: 3

Vignette

Reorganized garbage pick-up areas. A single large garbage dumpster was used to replace a large number of small dumpsters spread throughout the complex. While this made garbage removal slightly less convenient for residents, it saved an impressive amount of money. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $7,600/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 175 pounds of metal/year (less metal in dumpsters overall, amortized over the expected life of the dumpsters).

Began mailing newsletters and bills are in a single envelope, rather than separately, reducing the use of envelopes and postage.

Put lights in recreation areas (tennis courts, pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, and common room) on a timer so that lights automatically turn off after hours. The timers can only be changed by staff.

Installed photocells and timers on exterior lights, so that lights are only on in the evening and early morning.

Installed "toilet dummies" (foam inserts) in the tanks of 5 toilets to reduce the volume of each flush by ½-gallon. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $50/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 13,700 gallons/year.

Case Study

None

Business: Cannon Beach Elementary School (Cannon Beach)

Number of Employees: 10

Vignette

When garbage cans are emptied, the custodian only replaces the plastic liners if they are soiled or starting to smell. Garbage can liners that have held nothing but paper and other dry wastes are not changed every day. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $90/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 25 pounds of liners/year.

The foot pedal on a large bathroom sink was stuck in the "on" position. Fixing it cut water and sewer bills. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: as much as $1,348/year in water and sewer bills. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 345,600 gallons/year.

Low-flow aerators were installed on restroom and classroom water faucets, saving water and the energy to heat it. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $154/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 39,600 gallons/year.

Floats on tank toilets were adjusted to use less water per flush. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $142/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 40,500 gallons/year.

Coils on refrigerator and milk coolers are vacuumed every 3 months to improve energy efficiency.

Case Study

None

Business: Circle Coastal Cleaners (Cannon Beach)

Number of Employees: 2

Vignette

Circle Coastal Cleaners is a housecleaning service. The owners have replaced a variety of commercial cleaning products with less-toxic substitutes. These products also have the advantage of being less expensive and sometimes more efficiently packaged, as well. Examples include using vinegar instead of commercial window cleaner, and using vinegar and baking soda as a substitute for bleach (in certain applications.) FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $660/year.

Case Study

None

Business: Coffee Resort (Milwaukie)

Number of Employees: 4

Vignette

Repaired a major leak in the toilet. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $1,764/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 332,000 gallons/year.

Purchases dish soap in bulk (larger containers), thus reducing packaging waste. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $20/year.

Washes dishes in dish pans rather than the sink. This saves water, the energy to heat it, and detergent. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $67/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 950 kWh and 6,700 gallons of water/year.

Reduced the number of outside lights. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $225/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 2,360 kWh/year.

Offers reusable mugs for in-store coffee consumption, as an alternative to disposables. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $175/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 178 pounds of disposable cups/year.

Case Study

None

Business: Consumer Credit Counseling of Central Oregon (Bend)

Number of Employees: <15

Vignette

Switched to multi-fold paper towels in a dispenser from kitchen-style roll paper towels (not in a dispenser). The multi-fold towels are smaller and easier to use; staff believe they result in less towel waste. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $43/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 60 pounds of paper towels/year.

Using the automatic "duplex" feature on the copy machine to make double-sided copies has reduced paper use at least 10%. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $140/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 200 pounds of paper/year (4 cases).

Case Study

None

Business: Hershey Studios (Cannon Beach)

Number of Employees: 7

Vignette

Hershey Studios creates fine art cards and sells them in its own store and through other stationery and gift stores.

Several times a year, a text sheet is sent to retail customers, showing the cards currently available. It was redesigned to be folded, taped and mailed without an envelope. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $488/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 150 pounds /year.

To clean up spills of ink and paint, the studio obtained discarded rags from a local hotel, eliminating the use of disposable paper towels. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $69/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 40 pounds of paper towels/year.

Case Study

None

Business: Me and Company (Winston)

Number of Employees: 2

Vignette

Me and Company is a stained glass studio, including retail sales of stained glass supplies and space for classes and workshops.

All scrap glass generated in the studio is saved for use in smaller projects or donated to the art teacher at Douglas High School for student projects.

Broken window glass is accepted from the public for use in teaching students how to cut glass.

Recovering lead from leaded stained glass projects and waste solder is a skill taught to classes.

Polystyrene packing peanuts, office paper, and paper towels used to clean glass pieces are reused.

Work tables are made from scrap lumber or old kitchen cabinets.

Scrap glass bins are old kitchen cabinet drawers.

Cardboard, yard waste, and beverage containers are also recycled.

Case Study

None

Business: Murray Hill Thriftway (Beaverton)

Number of Employees: unknown

Vignette

Cleaning supplies are purchased from a company that takes back empty cleaning fluid bottles and refills them.

Unsold produce is set aside for Centro Cultural, a center for migrant farm workers. The program benefits the needy and saves the store about $6,000/year in disposal bills while also providing a tax deduction.

Case Study

Call Metro, 503-234-3000.

Business: RBD Enterprises (Bend)

Number of Employees: <10

Vignette

RBD Enterprises repairs and sells used electron microscopes and other imaging equipment used by research laboratories.

RBD uses polystyrene packing "peanuts" to protect some of the sensitive equipment during shipping. Through participation in a local resource efficiency program, the company learned that another local business, Periwinkle (a retailer) had polystyrene "peanuts" from its suppliers that it was tossing out. Periwinkle now saves its waste packaging for RBD, who no longer has to purchase new "peanuts." FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $600/year (to RBD Enterprises). RESOURCE SAVINGS: 600 pounds/year.

Switched from folded paper towels to cloth towels in employee restrooms. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $38/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 50 pounds of paper towels/year.

Case Study

None

Business: Sagewood School (Bend)

Number of Employees: 8

Vignette

Informed parents of how to pack a "waste wise" lunch for kids; switched from paper towels to cloth towels for staff; and started a mixed paper recycling bin. The school was able to reduce the size of their garbage can from 60 gallons to 33 gallons.

Reformatted reimbursement forms to use half as much paper.

Began double-siding the school newsletter.

Turned down hot water temperature from 130^o to 120^o Fahrenheit. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $23/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 460 kWh/year.

Case Study

None

Business: Sandtrap Inn (Cannon Beach)

Number of Employees: 4

Vignette

Staff used to automatically mail confirmation notices to guests when they booked a reservation. Now, guests are asked if they want a confirmation notice. Approximately half of the guests ask not to be mailed a notice. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $426/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 14 pounds of paper/year.

Redesigned promotional brochure to be a "self-mailer" (without an envelope). FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $15/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 5 pounds of paper/year.

Reduced the number of exterior ornamental lights by 1/3. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $66/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 1,300 kWh/year.

Eliminated an extra, unnecessary rinse cycle in washing machines. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $20/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 5,200 gallons/year.

In a few condos, refrigerators and hot water are turned off during the slowest month of the year and these condos are not rented out. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $23/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 420 kWh/year.

Installed low flow showerheads to reduce energy and water use. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $119/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 1,400 kWh/year and 10,200 gallons of water/year.

Eliminated "sanitized for your protection" paper toilet strips. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $23/year.

Case Study

None

Business: Tualatin High School (Tualatin)

Number of Employees: ~100

Vignette

Encourage teachers and students to copy, print, and write on both sides of the page.

Eliminated print overruns of the school newspaper. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $1,260/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 260 pounds/year.

Use a posting policy to discourage excess posters; install more bulletin boards, reduce number of posters. This reduces high custodial costs repainting damaged walls.

Classroom garbage can liners are no longer changed every night unless obviously soiled. Lunchroom garbage can liners are only pulled between lunches if more than half full.

Replaced paper food trays for a la carte items with wax tissue pickups. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $458/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 320 pounds/year.

A mulching mower is used everywhere except the football field and baseball diamond. This saves mowing time, hauling expenses, and garbage bags. It also returns nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil, reducing lawn fertilizer needs. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: more than $10,000/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 37,800 pounds/year.

Purchase cleaning solutions in concentrate. A dispenser unit is used to mix the concentrates with water at the correct ratio. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $300/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 350 pounds/year.

Purchase remanufactured laser printer cartridges rather than new cartridges. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $1,200/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 72 pounds/year.

Built in 1991, the school features glazed and double-paned windows, electronic ballasts, advanced fluorescent lights, and computer controlled heating and cooling. As a result of these design features, Tualatin High School uses 36% less energy per square foot of building space than the district’s other high school. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: approximately $35,000/year.

Case Study

Case study exists, call Metro, 503-234-3000.