Product Type: Recycling Service

Manufacturer: Cascades Recovery

Model: N/A

Where to buy: Find a Recycling Centre

Performance Rating: 4/5
Quality Rating: 4/5
User Friendly Rating: 5/5
Price Rating: 5/5

Overall Rating:  4.5/5 stars

Introduction:

The Canadian based company, Cascades, takes pride in its ability to recover materials that some would consider “trash.”  Through their partnerships and fiber mills, Cascades has effectively closed the loop to create a true circular company.  What started as collecting corrugated materials, eventually turned into an integrated company that operates “along the entire supply chain of a material from manufacturing, to consumption, collection, processing and back to manufacturing.”  With their motto: “It’s not waste until we say it is,” Cascades lives up to their own standards through the company’s service offerings.

How did PEKO Come About Using This Service?

About four years ago, we began searching for a new waste stream and recycling company for a couple different reasons.

Number One: The bills we were receiving from a large well-known waste management services corporation, who was our garbage company at the time, were extremely high, so we started engaging with different companies that would be able to lower our hefty waste stream bill.

Number Two: We knew we wanted an experienced company to help us better manage our waste and recycling streams so that PEKO could improve our environmentally sustainable practices.

What Are Some of the Benefits We Have Seen?

  • Cascades has been extremely helpful in assisting us manage our discarded material management and positioning us on a path towards zero waste to landfill.
  • Cascades has offered far more diversion streams than what was offered to us previously.
  • The training provided by Cascades, to our Sustainability Committee, has been extremely thorough and informative as we move our company towards our sustainability goals.
  • Variety of dumpsters are offered depending on your needs.
  • Diversion reports are provided as often as requested to ensure your company is meeting targeted diversion goals.
  • Customization in trash and recycling bin signage is offered so your company can meet the goals you set internally.
  • Earth day posters are provided to show the positive environmental impacts you’ve made by utilizing Cascades’ Circular Supply Chain and contributing to the company’s raw materials collection.

What are some of the shortfalls of this service?

  • We had recently struggled with communication issues, and an unfortunate lack of knowledge from a Cascades representative, but this issue has since been resolved and we have received outstanding service and support since.  This just goes to show how committed the company is in ensuring their customers’ success.

Price vs Value

Not only did moving to Cascades SIGNIFICANTLY lower the amount we were spending on our waste stream, but the company has also gone above and beyond in their responsiveness to our requests.  Cascades has provided us with personalized signage for our bins, as well as the dumpsters that were best optimized to work with our program and goals.

Cascades has definitely been worth the price!  Especially if you are looking for a material management program to reduce your company’s environmental impacts and landfill contributions.  They’re always available and take pride in when your company reaches set targets and goals.

How Well Does It Work and How is the Usability?

Since PEKO’s Sustainability Committee has recently decided to hone in on our recycling efforts, and perfect our waste stream management as a whole, Cascades has provided us with the support necessary to make our goals a reality.  As a member of the Sustainability Committee, Cascades has been a great resource for our company.  Questions have been answered promptly, suggestions on perfecting our process have been made, and any concerns on our pickups have been resolved quickly.

What are Some Alternatives We could have Pursued?

There were various companies we looked into, however Cascades offered the best service for the price.  Depending on what their fiber mills are in need of, they will actually provide rebates out based on what materials are in high demand.  We were also lucky to be right down the road from their Rochester office, which has been convenient when we need to add extra pick-ups or have questions on how to better manage our discarded materials.

Overall, if your company is looking to significantly decrease the amount of materials you add to a landfill, then Cascades is the company for you!