W I N T E R I S S U E - FEBRUARY 2 0 1 7
- A M E S S A G E -
F R O M T H E C E O
Embracing Change
Our world is changing. Common practices of using virgin resources once to make products and packaging and discarding them when consumers – that’s you and me – no longer want them is increasingly at odds with our changing personal, commercial, and political values. As a recycling company, Emterra realizes that the talk is about more than recycling as we know it today.
It’s about new policy, commerce and social mindsets that establish and promote practical applications for how to first reduce the amount of materials and energy used to make things through design and procurement decisions. It’s also about providing more and better options for return, repair and reuse, such as might be imagined for products as a service, reusable glass containers and refillable water bottles.
It’s also about providing more and better options for return, repair and reuse, such as might be imagined for products as a service, reusable glass containers and refillable water bottles.
It also ratchets up recycling so it’s more effective at recovering materials to be reused in high value regenerative cycles. This ‘take-make-return’ circular economy is the focus of discussion broadly throughout the packaging and printed paper industry conferences and workshops. At Emterra, we are proud to be a part of those discussions and energized by the new world vision of sustainability they promise. The future can be uncertain even for a recycler like Emterra but we are embracing this change.
To that point, in this issue of ‘TerraNotes, you’ll see a report on how one Ontario organization, the Circular Economy Innovation Lab, is accelerating the transition to a circular economy for printed paper and packaging and other materials. In another story, Simple and sweet solutions are making our offices more sustainable, we offer insights into how small initiatives taken by many people and businesses can contribute to real-life sustainability. At Emterra Environmental’s Surrey, BC operation, we’re using ethically sourced paper made from sugar cane waste instead of tree-based paper, and by changing our default font, we’re extending the life of toner cartridges. I invite you to join me in a new way of thinking about waste.
Finally, we’ve just celebrated our 40th anniversary—2016 was a successful and memorable year. 2017 brings with it a sense of renewed urgency, vigor and optimism and I look forward to sharing our progress with you this year. As always, we welcome your comments and questions.
Best wishes,
Our sustainability first approach
is equivalent to removing
94,535 cars
from the road annually.
Emterra’s perseverance to beat the weather won praise from Chilliwack
The famous motto “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds” may have been penned by Herodotus prior to 500 BC, but he could have been reflecting on Emterra Environmental’s work in Chilliwack, BC this past December and January.
*Vancouver Sun Photo: Jason Payne/PNG
Contributing to the social fabric of Emterra communities
Caring about the communities where Emterra operates and where our employees live is part of our corporate values under our Community Care™ Program. We do that by participating in programs, events and activities that contribute to the social and environmental health and well being of our communities. In the past half decade, Emterra has provided more than $320,000 to support organizations that support people. One of them is the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub (The WRENCH) that provides restored bicycles to disadvantaged kids.
Circular Economy Lab focuses on ‘Take-Make-Return’ innovation in printed paper and packaging
Many opinion leaders on the world stage who talk about the impact of commerce on the planet’s bio-system are pointing to the next industrial revolution as the transition to a circular economy. The need, they emphasize, is clear and well-known: the consumption of resources in the current ‘take-make-waste’ economy is outstripping availability. In Ontario, the Circular Economy Innovation Lab (CEIL) involving leaders from the private and public sectors is shedding light on how circular economy principles can deliver a ‘take-make-return’ culture in Canada starting with printed paper and packaging.
Simple and sweet solutions to make your office more sustainable
Finding economical solutions to make our offices more sustainable doesn’t necessarily mean making big changes. Simple solutions and a sweet twist on traditional paper can make a big impact. At Emterra’s offices, we’ve taken a few steps that will reduce our carbon footprint.
New look for Canadian Liquids Processors Ltd.
Canadian Liquids Processors Ltd. (CLP) has unveiled a new and lively logo for the start of 2017 as this division of Emterra Group sets its sights on future growth and closing the loop on recycling.
Welcome to the Emterra family
We would like to welcome China Township in the State of Michigan to the Emterra family where we will be collecting waste and recycling. As well, we welcome the Rural Municipalities of Springfield and Ritchot, Manitoba. We will be collecting waste and recycling in Springfield and recycling in Ritchot. And we are continuing our contract in Chilliwack, B.C. and are happy to announce that we will be adding organics collection to this municipality.
– F I N D & F O L L O W –
E M T E R R A O N L I N E
