Waterloo “Green Team” Composts Paper Towels, Avoids The Landfill

All those paper towels can really add up.

Through the first five months of this year, the team and IDEX Materials Processing Technology (MPT) in Waterloo, Canada, has diverted more than 455 pounds of paper towel waste bound for the local landfill.

Instead, those paper towels – organic waste that can easily biodegrade – are bound to composting center operated by their local refuse service provider.

As they work toward IDEX Green certification, the team implemented special “Green Bins” for towel waste in the kitchen, break room and washrooms. Waterloo cleaners bag the paper towel compost separately and those bags are reused for another day.

MPT team members embraced the effort, resulting in a 147% increase in waste diverted for composting.

“Composting matters to me because diverting compostable waste from a landfill will help preserve the earth for my children's future,” IDEX MPT Waterloo Site Director said.

The paper towel effort expands the IDEX MPT partnership with Kitchener Clean, which requires employees to keep the waste streams pure and avoid "wishcycling" non-compostable. Rules include:

• Remove Packaging: Take off all plastic stickers, rubber bands, twist ties, and plastic wrap before tossing food scraps into the green bin.
• Paper Towel Bins Only: Only put pure paper towels in the washroom compost bins.
• No Plastics or Hygiene Products: Never throw plastic wrappers, diapers, wet wipes, or sanitary products into the compost bins.

Congratulations to the “Waterloo Green Team” for their success in administering the program!