Goal For The Green

OK, so it does take some time and effort to be a conscientious recycler. However, in most areas there are now recycle depots, that make the job much easier. Yes, most Waste Management, facilities offer single stream pick-up , which for those of us who pay for that convenience, it means no more separating our trash.

We have always had our own system, and chosen not to pay the near $40 a month, for garbage pick-up. The one peeve, that has always bothered me though, is the menace of, “What About Styrofoam?”

Thankfully, Marilyn Lauderdale of Kent WA, asked herself the same question.

“Somebody needs to do this. Why not me?”

The “this” that is the question, is figuring out how to keep the untold thousands of pounds of expanded polystyrene foam (eps) – better known by the trademark name, Styrofoam – out of landfills.

The answer is to, crush it, compress it, heat it and extrude it into roughly 40- pound ingots. And then sell it, for use in such things as picture frames and casings for computers,TV’s and appliances.

That process may sound easy, and it is. The problem is getting enough Styrofoam, to make the whole process profitable enough, to pay the bills. After all, it is the bulk we are talking about not the weight, that clogs up landfills, and it does not biodegrade!

It takes an awful lot of Styrofoam, to make a 40 lb ingot. Styrofoam is very light, and with many air pockets. It takes about 90 pounds of Styrofoam, to make just ONE pound of final product. That’s the real reason Lauderdale, needs so much to make her business economically viable.

Any new startup faces challenges and costs to get their project off the ground. But, those challenges didn’t bother Marilyn Lauderdale. After months of getting her new business off the ground – Vic and Ginger’s Styrofoam Recycle – became a  visible space donated to her by her employer, IKEA, on the west side of the iconic store in south Renton.

Lauderdale had worked for IKEA, for about 15 years.  Her  job was, to assemble furniture in the store. All that furniture comes packaged in Styrofoam to keep it dent-free. She watched for years, as the Styrofoam was shipped off with the garbage, to the nearest landfill.

“That’s not right,” she said.

But, there has always been, few options to recycle styrofoam, which is petroleum-based. Most counties don’t accept it at their recycling stations, so it winds up in landfills.

Lauderdale, was saddened by the lack of a “green way” to make use of the rather cumbersome white stuff.

“Why shouldn’t I do it,” she said. “I believe God gave me this mission.”

So, Lauderdale began developing a plan for her own business. First, she approached IKEA about recycling its Styrofoam inhouse. She presented a business plan, but key officials felt the store wouldn’t generate enough Styrofoam to support an investment into her recycling venture.

IKEA remained supportive of her, and her business idea, offering her whatever help she needed to make her plan work.

The key piece of equipment needed,was an extruder, that would transform the Styrofoam into the raw extruded material. She found a California company that sold the machine, in various sizes.

Today, Lauderdale’s total investment is about $87,000, which includes a brightly colored truck,and a $45,000 machine. Her part time employee,uses the truck, to pick up Styrofoam from businesses throughout the region.

That truck is a key part of Lauderdale’s plan, to collect enough Styrofoam to keep her new recycling machine working at a pace, that will generate enough raw product to make her business a success. Her business, just started in September,2009, and the doors are still open, and hopefully, for a long time to come.

Marilyn Lauderdale, is also reaching out to everyday citizens, who can bring their Styrofoam directly to her recycling center. She needs about 40,000 pounds of processed Styrofoam before NEPCO (the manufacturer of the machine), will send a truck to pick it up.  But, each load earns,between $6,000 and $8,000.

Lauderdale, is the only recycler in the state of Washington, that offers Styrofoam recycling to the general public. She is often at recycling events, in Renton and Federal Way. Customers can contact Lauderdale through her Web site, styrorecycle.com

Special Thanks, to Marrilyn Lauderdale, for taking action, to make her “green dream” a reality.  If you don’t have a place to recycle Styrofoam, in your area, it is my hope that you found Marilyn’s story, both motivational and inspirational, to go after your dream, and make it happen!