Here at McLoone, we take pride in our role as a responsible manufacturing business, recognizing the environmental responsibility that comes with the daily use of stainless steel, aluminum, steel, brass, and magnesium. Sustainability isn't just a buzzword for us - it's a big part of our philosophy as a company. Because Global Recycling Day is on March 18th, we wanted to share our commitment to reducing our environmental impact and our contributions to a more sustainable future.
Our Recycling Efforts
About once a month, we have a local recycling company come to take the usual employee-contributed items like cans and plastics, as well as significant amounts of the metal materials integral to our manufacturing processes like aluminum, stainless steel, and brass.
At McLoone, we sort our metals into different categories based on the type and cleanliness. Aluminum with adhesives, inks, or slip sheets (a sheet of paper in between parts to prevent scratching) are sorted into a separate bin because they require a specific processing. We have electronic records of our recycling dating back to 2003, but for the sake of the blog, we've only pulled data from 2020 to 2023. In those 3 years, we've recycled a total of 335,697 pounds of metal! This includes 95,407 pounds of clean aluminum, 218,833 pounds of unclean aluminum, 20,426 pounds of stainless steel, and 1,031 pounds of screen frames and brass.
Why is it Important for us to Recycle?
According to The Aluminum Association, aluminum is a material that offers infinite recyclability. It's one of the most recycled materials today, and more that 80% of aluminum production is in making recycled aluminum (in the 1980's this number was around 20%-30%). As a company heavily reliant on aluminum, this statistic underscores the positive impact of our recycling efforts.
As we observe Global Recycling Day this year, we want to emphasize our ongoing commitment to sustainability. Our recycling efforts perfectly align with what the mission of the day stands for: creating a shift towards environmental consciousness within the manufacturing industry. We're dedicated to our responsible practices and commitment to sustainability, making a positive impact in our community and our environment.
