About Recycling in Greater Phoenix
About Recycling in Greater Phoenix
More and more people and communities are recognizing the critical importance of recycling. As the earth's population continues to grow, and we use more of our natural resources to sustain us, reusing materials where we we can makes good economic sense. It also helps to relieve the burden of ever-growing landfills.
Many people who live in single family homes have a separate bin for materials that can be recycled: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and cans (aluminum or tin).
Those items are picked up and delivered to a local plant, like United Fibers in Chandler, Arizona. There the recyclables are separated -- sometimes by sophisticated machinery that can distinguish between the materials and sometimes by hand. They are packaged into bales and then delivered to other companies who can process them in the next step in a manufacturing. United Fibers actually keeps the paper and cardboard brought in to the facility and re-processes it into insulation for residential and commercial buildings. That insulation is easier to work with and more efficient than fiberglass. Did you ever imagine that all those shoe boxes from that you recycled could be in your attic keeping your home cool in the summer?
If you don't live in an area where there is a curbside recycling program, there are still plenty of ways in which you can do your part to Reuse, Reduce and Recycle in Arizona.
Recycling factoid: A soda can thrown in a landfill instead of being recycled takes about 500 years to decompose.
A plastic bottle takes about 700 years.
Page 1: Recycling in Greater Phoenix
Page 2: United Fibers Recycling Facility
Page 3: Take a Tour
Page 4: Location, Hours, Tour Details
The United Fibers Recycling Facility in Chandler
I visited United Fibers in Chandler, Arizona to take the public tour and learn more about what they do there. This isn't one of those little grimy "we-pay-you-for-your-cans" operations (although they do!). It is a large, well-organized and clean plant doing business in Chandler for more than 35 years. The major components of the business involve the sorting and shipping of recycled materials picked up through curbside programs for various cities and towns in Arizona, the production of cellulose insulation material for the building industry, the consumer drive-thru recycle center, and, most recently, the recycling of denim and other cotton products into insulation materials.
United Fibers also has a Drive-Thru Recycling Center for anyone in the area (not just Chandler) who does not have access to curbside pickup, and wants to drop off appropriate items for recycling. Not only are you keeping that stuff out of our landfills, but they will also pay you for it. Here are the current buy-back rates. What will they pay for?
You should have the items sorted before you arrive; that will make the process faster!
Recycling factoid: Did you know that putting hazardous waste or even your regular trash in a recycle bin could ruin an entire truckload of materials? That's because the truck compresses the recyclables as they are dumped in, and those waste products transfer onto everything else. That entire truckload may end up contaminated and in a landfill.
Page 1: Recycling in Greater Phoenix
Page 2: United Fibers Recycling Facility
Page 3: Take a Tour
Page 4: Location, Hours, Tour Details
United Fibers offers free monthly tours of their recycling plant. Anyone who wants to learn about recycling is welcome to attend (subject to certain restrictions mentioned on the next page). On the tour you will be be taken to the "Green" Education Center to watch a short video about what happens to the recycled materials, from the time they are picked up at your home from your recycle bin to the time they end up as a finished product, available again for you to use, and not in our landfills.
While you are in the enclosed and air-conditioned classroom, you can watch Materials Recovery Facility employees separating recyclable materials -- cardboard, cans, plastic, paper. They handle about 25 tons of recyclable material every hour. I was amazed at how many plastic bags they had to remove from the conveyer belts. Doesn't everyone know that plastic bags should not be thrown into the recycle bin?
The tours last about half an hour, half of which is watching the video. The tour is short, but worthwhile. You'll get a new perspective on how important it is to recycle! Schools located within Chandler should contact the City of Chandler to arrange a tour. Other schools, organizations or individuals may contact United Fibers directly to arrange for a tour. Children under 10 are not permitted on the tour. Everyone is required to wear a safety vest and eye protection while on the premises.
While the Education Center is air-conditioned, during this tour you will be walking outside and in the facility where it is not air-conditioned.
Recycling factoid: Even with curbside pickup, about 35% recyclable material is put in the regular trash barrel instead of the recycle bin.
Page 1: Recycling in Greater Phoenix
Page 2: United Fibers Recycling Facility
Page 3: Take a Tour
Page 4: Location, Hours, Tour Details
The United Fibers facility in Chandler, Arizona is open to the public for the purpose of accessing the drive-thru Recycling Center. All the other buildings are off limits to the public for safety, as it is an operating facility, unless you have arranged in advance for a tour.
United Fibers Address:
390 East Ray Road
Chandler, Arizona 85225
That's on ray Road, east of Arizona Aevnue on the north side of the street.
United Fibers Phone:
480-726-0001
Hours for Drive-Thru Dropoff:
Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed on Saturday, Sunday and all major holidays.
Visit United Fibers online:
www.unitedfibers.com
Recycling factoid: Recycling actually starts at the point that you purchase a product. Where you have a choice, buy items that have packaging or containers that can be recycled later.
Page 1: Recycling in Greater Phoenix
Page 2: United Fibers Recycling Facility
Page 3: Take a Tour
Page 4: Location, Hours, Tour Details
All dates, times, prices and offerings are subject to change without notice.
More and more people and communities are recognizing the critical importance of recycling. As the earth's population continues to grow, and we use more of our natural resources to sustain us, reusing materials where we we can makes good economic sense. It also helps to relieve the burden of ever-growing landfills.
Many people who live in single family homes have a separate bin for materials that can be recycled: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and cans (aluminum or tin).
Those items are picked up and delivered to a local plant, like United Fibers in Chandler, Arizona. There the recyclables are separated -- sometimes by sophisticated machinery that can distinguish between the materials and sometimes by hand. They are packaged into bales and then delivered to other companies who can process them in the next step in a manufacturing. United Fibers actually keeps the paper and cardboard brought in to the facility and re-processes it into insulation for residential and commercial buildings. That insulation is easier to work with and more efficient than fiberglass. Did you ever imagine that all those shoe boxes from that you recycled could be in your attic keeping your home cool in the summer?
If you don't live in an area where there is a curbside recycling program, there are still plenty of ways in which you can do your part to Reuse, Reduce and Recycle in Arizona.
Recycling factoid: A soda can thrown in a landfill instead of being recycled takes about 500 years to decompose.
A plastic bottle takes about 700 years.
Page 1: Recycling in Greater Phoenix
Page 2: United Fibers Recycling Facility
Page 3: Take a Tour
Page 4: Location, Hours, Tour Details
The United Fibers Recycling Facility in Chandler
I visited United Fibers in Chandler, Arizona to take the public tour and learn more about what they do there. This isn't one of those little grimy "we-pay-you-for-your-cans" operations (although they do!). It is a large, well-organized and clean plant doing business in Chandler for more than 35 years. The major components of the business involve the sorting and shipping of recycled materials picked up through curbside programs for various cities and towns in Arizona, the production of cellulose insulation material for the building industry, the consumer drive-thru recycle center, and, most recently, the recycling of denim and other cotton products into insulation materials.
United Fibers also has a Drive-Thru Recycling Center for anyone in the area (not just Chandler) who does not have access to curbside pickup, and wants to drop off appropriate items for recycling. Not only are you keeping that stuff out of our landfills, but they will also pay you for it. Here are the current buy-back rates. What will they pay for?
- Newspapers, writing paper, copy paper, computer paper, magazines, junk mail, brown paper bags, phone books.
- Plastic bottles and containers with the number 1 or 2 stamped on container bottom.
- Aluminum beverage containers, foil, trays and pet food cans.
- Cardboard, boxes, chip board, gift boxes, shipping boxes and food containers.
- Denim clothing.
You should have the items sorted before you arrive; that will make the process faster!
Recycling factoid: Did you know that putting hazardous waste or even your regular trash in a recycle bin could ruin an entire truckload of materials? That's because the truck compresses the recyclables as they are dumped in, and those waste products transfer onto everything else. That entire truckload may end up contaminated and in a landfill.
Page 1: Recycling in Greater Phoenix
Page 2: United Fibers Recycling Facility
Page 3: Take a Tour
Page 4: Location, Hours, Tour Details
United Fibers offers free monthly tours of their recycling plant. Anyone who wants to learn about recycling is welcome to attend (subject to certain restrictions mentioned on the next page). On the tour you will be be taken to the "Green" Education Center to watch a short video about what happens to the recycled materials, from the time they are picked up at your home from your recycle bin to the time they end up as a finished product, available again for you to use, and not in our landfills.
While you are in the enclosed and air-conditioned classroom, you can watch Materials Recovery Facility employees separating recyclable materials -- cardboard, cans, plastic, paper. They handle about 25 tons of recyclable material every hour. I was amazed at how many plastic bags they had to remove from the conveyer belts. Doesn't everyone know that plastic bags should not be thrown into the recycle bin?
The tours last about half an hour, half of which is watching the video. The tour is short, but worthwhile. You'll get a new perspective on how important it is to recycle! Schools located within Chandler should contact the City of Chandler to arrange a tour. Other schools, organizations or individuals may contact United Fibers directly to arrange for a tour. Children under 10 are not permitted on the tour. Everyone is required to wear a safety vest and eye protection while on the premises.
While the Education Center is air-conditioned, during this tour you will be walking outside and in the facility where it is not air-conditioned.
Recycling factoid: Even with curbside pickup, about 35% recyclable material is put in the regular trash barrel instead of the recycle bin.
Page 1: Recycling in Greater Phoenix
Page 2: United Fibers Recycling Facility
Page 3: Take a Tour
Page 4: Location, Hours, Tour Details
The United Fibers facility in Chandler, Arizona is open to the public for the purpose of accessing the drive-thru Recycling Center. All the other buildings are off limits to the public for safety, as it is an operating facility, unless you have arranged in advance for a tour.
- Tour dates:
Guided tours are typically held on the second Thursday of the month and are scheduled between 8 a.m. and noon. - Tour size:
Minimum 10, maximum 36 people. Your group may be scheduled with another group, depending on the number of people.
- Tour participants:
Must be at least 10 years old, and there must be at least one adult for each 6 children. - Walking requirement:
There are stairs on this tour, or you might have to step over or around items. If walking is a problem, this tour is not for you. - Other requirements:
You must sign an Agreement confirming, among other things, that you are not associated, employed or linked to the Solid Waste, Recycling, Cellulose or related Manufacturing Industry. - Tour cost:
There is no charge to take the tour.
United Fibers Address:
390 East Ray Road
Chandler, Arizona 85225
That's on ray Road, east of Arizona Aevnue on the north side of the street.
United Fibers Phone:
480-726-0001
Hours for Drive-Thru Dropoff:
Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed on Saturday, Sunday and all major holidays.
Visit United Fibers online:
www.unitedfibers.com
Recycling factoid: Recycling actually starts at the point that you purchase a product. Where you have a choice, buy items that have packaging or containers that can be recycled later.
Page 1: Recycling in Greater Phoenix
Page 2: United Fibers Recycling Facility
Page 3: Take a Tour
Page 4: Location, Hours, Tour Details
All dates, times, prices and offerings are subject to change without notice.
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