From the actual sorting of the material to record keeping and data collection, as well as reporting on behalf of the client to agencies such as the Puerto Rico Solid Waste Management Authority, GBG becomes a client’s waste-management partner.
It may just be garbage, but its handling and disposal can be quite costly for businesses such as shopping centers, malls, office buildings and even manufacturing operations.
“As part of our services, we include analyses of a prospective client’s waste removal and handling operations. Often, clients are surprised because they weren’t aware how much it was costing them,” said Rafael Rivera, director of recycling and janitorial operations at Garbage Becoming Green (GBG), a pioneering leader in the design and implementation of waste-management and recycling programs for the commercial sector in Puerto Rico. “Of course, they are also relieved to know they can count on us to provide them with solutions that fit their needs and budgets, and this helps them manage their waste and comply with environmental laws and statutes.”
To develop a tailor-made plan for a client, Rivera said the GBG team reviews the operation’s waste production patterns, taking into consideration factors such as how much waste the operation produces in general or is produces by its tenants, what type of waste and in what time span the operation produces the most or least waste, among other concerns.
“In some cases clients have been paying different service providers to remove a given waste. For example, one service provider removes plastic, another removes cardboard and so on, “Rivera said. “You could say that GBG in itself is the first solution because we provide all those services in one, not only simplifying things for clients, but also saving them money.”
GBG designs a plan that begins at the point of origin, with GBG personnel, thoroughly knowledgeable in waste-management and best-janitorial practices, sorting the waste, making sure it is picked up and taken where it may be recycled or properly disposed of. From the actual sorting of the material to record keeping and data collection, as well as reporting on behalf of the client to agencies such as the Puerto Rico Solid Waste Management Authority, GBG becomes a client’s waste-management partner.
In a couple of weeks, Rivera said the company will reiterate its positions as true ground-breaker in the design and implementation of a waste-management and recycling programs when it receives its first BioHitech America’s Eco-Safe Digester. The Eco-Safe Digester is a self-contained unit that consumes leftover food and transforms it into water, onsite. The water may then be disposed of through standard drainage systems or reused for purposes such as irrigation.
The Eco-Safe Digester can transform 2,500 pounds of food waste material each day into water, through an aerobic process combining heat, moisture and oxygen-without the use of chemicals or any resulting solid byproduct. Food waste may include meat, seafood, grains, produce, fruits, dairy, poultry, pastries, and prepared food. Once set up, the client or owner doesn’t need to do any additional handling. All that is required are electrical, water, and drain connections.
Plaza del Norte in Hatillo will be the first GBG client to implement the Eco-Safe Digester, and Rivera said the company is confident that it can help the mall achieve an 80% recycling rate.
“With our waste-management plan and advanced technological solutions such as the Eco-safe Digester, our clients also become partners in our mission of diverting waste from reaching landfills and even transforming it into a renewable resource,” he added.