Surpassing the Goal of a Net Zero Waste Expense

A mid-west big box retail chain with a large volume of marketable commodities was seeking an experienced provider to manage their waste and maximize recycling with a goal of net zero waste expense.

DRM experts performed an in-depth analysis of the current program, which included waste audits. It was determined that the client was offsetting their monthly trash expense by approximately 50% through the sale of recyclable materials. DRM identified and implemented program improvements including increased efficiencies in equipment operation and diversion of recyclables which resulted in the cost reduction of on call services, negotiation of trucking and tipping rates, improved commodity rebates and utilizing DRM’s proprietary Commodity Revenue Management System (CRMS) to monitor and collect rebate revenue on a timely basis.

Within a 6-month period, these efforts have led to the end result of commodity revenue being increased by nearly 80% and exceeding the reduced trash expense. DRM achieved the client’s goal of a net zero waste expense and drastically surpassed expectations by creating a significant revenue stream for the client net of DRM’s compensation.

Interested in how DRM can help your bottom line? Contact us today.

Maximizing Commodity Revenue and Operational Efficiency

A major wholesale club chain with a high volume of recyclable commodities was realizing approximately 50% of OCC rebates and needed to select a provider who could effectively manage their rebate program in order to maximize revenue. This client was also seeking expertise for increasing operating efficiencies to achieve cost reductions.

Rebate Revenue

DRM began by negotiating all waste and recycling rates and rebate formulas for each location. In order to manage OCC pulls, rebates due and revenue received, DRM utilizes our proprietary Commodity Revenue Management System (CRMS), which automatically uploads the pull from our Customer Service database and invoices the recycler for the rebate due.

Through the use of DRM’s CMS software, we have increased collected rebates over 120% per month as well as $12M to date in gross collections.

Operating Efficiency

As part of our management process, DRM tracks the tonnage of each compactor pull and manages the timing between trash and OCC compactor pulls with store personnel. The client was averaging 5.3 tons per trash compactor pull and through DRM’s efforts the average tonnage increased to 10 tons per compactor pulls.

For the last fiscal year this resulted in a savings of $285K in trucking costs. Savings in fiscal year 2015 are projected to reach $360K and since the program’s inception the client has realized more than $1.4M in total savings for trucking costs.

Contact us today and begin streamlining your business with DRM.

Implementing a Limited Space Recycling and Diversion Program

An Atlantic Coast banking institution selected DRM to analyze and implement services to increase recycling and diversion at their individual branch locations and regional offices. One of the major challenges of this effort is that the stores had limited inside storage for recyclables and there was limited space for recycling equipment outside each store.

Recycling

DRM performed waste audits at individual branch and regional office locations in various markets to identify all recyclable materials in the waste stream. The weather in the operating markets varies significantly and includes climates, which have severely cold and precipitous weather to markets with extremely hot and humid conditions. The weather conditions added to the challenge of collecting materials without equipment on site.

Based upon the results of the waste audits and the identification of service options, DRM implemented “hand pick-up” services of various recyclable materials at each client location. DRM organized a program that requires all locations to be serviced by early morning, prior to the daily opening of each branch or regional office location.

Upon implementation of the above recycling services, the volume of material entering the waste stream was reduced by over 20% and was achieved without additional equipment being placed at the individual locations.

Diversion

After the implementation of the recycling services described above, DRM identified opportunities for diverting the remaining materials in the waste stream from landfills to Waste to Energy (WTE) facilities in several of our client’s operating markets. DRM efforts increased landfill diversion from 19% to 37% for the client.

Learn more about how DRM’s expertise can help overcome your challenges. Contact us today.