Our role in our communities
At Green America Recycling, we support the areas where we live, work and operate, and are committed to initiatives that make our communities stronger.
In Hannibal, Missouri, we support the Two Rivers Industries recycling center, an organization that provides employment to developmentally disabled individuals. GAR processed Two Rivers Industries plastics at no cost to prevent accumulation of solid waste material on their site and divert material from the landfill. Due to restrictions on import and exports between the U.S. and China, Two Rivers Industries was unable to accept plastic materials as of December 4, 2017.
In Illinois, we help enable recycling in rural areas by transporting materials to GAR facilities for energy recovery.
In honor of Earth Day each year, GAR hosts used oil collection day, enabling members of the community to drop off used oil and paint-related material at no cost, and educating our communities about environmentally sound management of these materials. Since the program’s inception, the number of recycled materials from the community has continually increased.
To strengthen community relations, GAR formed a Community Advisory Panel in support of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know-Act. The advisory panel, founded in 2000, meets each spring and fall to enable a two-way dialogue between the community and our facility. The panel uses this opportunity to learn about the plant’s upcoming plans and activities and provide the facility with any feedback. The panel consists of members of the community, including local businesses, academia, clergy, local officials and the general public.
Another way we engaged with the community is through our STEM tours. Each year, we host roughly 1,000 community visitors – from local schools, scouts and troops, and historical societies – to educate them about our plant and our processes.
Our Hannibal Plant received a huge honor was when it became a Wildlife Habitat Council Silver Certified Site in 2017. At the plant, employees, as well as community members, are encouraged to visit and observe the wildlife at the facility.