We didn't initiate defiling the environment, but we're legally obligated to finish it
July 20, 2011 7:20 AM Subscribe
My place of employment has received several thousand packages of rubber bands that need to be destroyed. Any advice on a way of disposing of these on the cheap?
I know, it would be much better to reuse these rubber bands. However, due to their nature and our profession, we are legally obligated to destroy them.
They aren't recyclable as far as I know. Each package comes in a stiff plastic casing. I'm looking more for quick ways to slice them up (I'm afraid of running them through a shredder) or for companies that could ensure their destruction (we're in northwest Ohio).
I know, it would be much better to reuse these rubber bands. However, due to their nature and our profession, we are legally obligated to destroy them.
They aren't recyclable as far as I know. Each package comes in a stiff plastic casing. I'm looking more for quick ways to slice them up (I'm afraid of running them through a shredder) or for companies that could ensure their destruction (we're in northwest Ohio).
Ohio Mobile Shredding maybe?
They do witnessed shredding, so if you needed some sort of documentation that might help.
I have some DIY ideas, but I'm not sure if they would clog the shredding device / take too much time / not provide the proper documentation of disposal.
posted by codacorolla at 7:33 AM on July 20, 2011
They do witnessed shredding, so if you needed some sort of documentation that might help.
I have some DIY ideas, but I'm not sure if they would clog the shredding device / take too much time / not provide the proper documentation of disposal.
posted by codacorolla at 7:33 AM on July 20, 2011
Give them to schools. They'll find something to do with 'em.
posted by ecorrocio at 7:43 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by ecorrocio at 7:43 AM on July 20, 2011
Response by poster: box: "What does 'destroy' mean in this context? How little destruction could you legally get away with?
Just slicing them in half would be enough - we need to make sure they can't be used. Using the paper slicer was considered, but that would take weeks.
Do you have access to e.g. an industrial shredding machine (or a wood chipper), a steam roller, a furnace or kiln, or, y'know, other stuff like that"
I might know someone with a wood chipper. Would all that plastic and rubber be good for it?
codacorolla: "Ohio Mobile Shredding maybe?"
I checked with them - they don't do rubber bands. They did refer me to Environmental Recycling though. That looks promising but will cost more money, I imagine. :)
ecorrocio: "Give them to schools. They'll find something to do with 'em"
I'd love to. But we're legally required to destroy them, and legal is out business so no mercy can be shown.
posted by charred husk at 7:50 AM on July 20, 2011
Just slicing them in half would be enough - we need to make sure they can't be used. Using the paper slicer was considered, but that would take weeks.
Do you have access to e.g. an industrial shredding machine (or a wood chipper), a steam roller, a furnace or kiln, or, y'know, other stuff like that"
I might know someone with a wood chipper. Would all that plastic and rubber be good for it?
codacorolla: "Ohio Mobile Shredding maybe?"
I checked with them - they don't do rubber bands. They did refer me to Environmental Recycling though. That looks promising but will cost more money, I imagine. :)
ecorrocio: "Give them to schools. They'll find something to do with 'em"
I'd love to. But we're legally required to destroy them, and legal is out business so no mercy can be shown.
posted by charred husk at 7:50 AM on July 20, 2011
Just out of curiosity - why has it become legally necessary to destroy rubber bands?
posted by pdb at 7:56 AM on July 20, 2011 [10 favorites]
posted by pdb at 7:56 AM on July 20, 2011 [10 favorites]
Best answer: Call your town/county solid waste folks. They've ether got machines (industrial sized chippers) or resources (recyclers/destroyers/incinerators) to recommend.
You might also ask if they have any resources for tire recycling/shredding. Machinery than can recycle tires might also be able to handle rubber bands.
Also if your waste stream ends up in an incineration facility -- you could probably deliver them to the incinerator or contract with a local waste hauler to deliver them their and perhaps certify their destruction.
If you are thinking of chipping them or shredding them -- you may have to remove the exterior packaging. But the exterior packaging might also be recyclable.
posted by countrymod at 7:58 AM on July 20, 2011
You might also ask if they have any resources for tire recycling/shredding. Machinery than can recycle tires might also be able to handle rubber bands.
Also if your waste stream ends up in an incineration facility -- you could probably deliver them to the incinerator or contract with a local waste hauler to deliver them their and perhaps certify their destruction.
If you are thinking of chipping them or shredding them -- you may have to remove the exterior packaging. But the exterior packaging might also be recyclable.
posted by countrymod at 7:58 AM on July 20, 2011
Mod note: comments removed - at the point at which you are telling people that their business sucks, you need to go for a walk. Let's start over please.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:59 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:59 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is what a temp worker or a paid summer intern is for. I would buy a big cutting board and a good kitchen knife and have them chop away until finished or they go insane.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:10 AM on July 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:10 AM on July 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: pdb: "Just out of curiosity - why has it become legally necessary to destroy rubber bands"
Intellectual property lawsuit - I'm just a tech guy who works for the IP firm so I don't know the details. This isn't our usual thing, though, so something much have gotten weird.
posted by charred husk at 8:10 AM on July 20, 2011
Intellectual property lawsuit - I'm just a tech guy who works for the IP firm so I don't know the details. This isn't our usual thing, though, so something much have gotten weird.
posted by charred husk at 8:10 AM on July 20, 2011
Liberty Tire Recycling may take your rubberbands, or connect you to someone who does. I hear they're good folks.
posted by juniperesque at 8:10 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by juniperesque at 8:10 AM on July 20, 2011
Response by poster: JohnnyGunn: "This is what a temp worker or a paid summer intern is for. I would buy a big cutting board and a good kitchen knife and have them chop away until finished or they go insane"
Now that you mention it, we do have a pair of high school kids who are doing a sort of intern thing for a few weeks. Maybe I could ruin their future legal aspirations...
posted by charred husk at 8:13 AM on July 20, 2011 [12 favorites]
Now that you mention it, we do have a pair of high school kids who are doing a sort of intern thing for a few weeks. Maybe I could ruin their future legal aspirations...
posted by charred husk at 8:13 AM on July 20, 2011 [12 favorites]
Best answer: Why not inquire with a document destruction service? If they can shred videotapes and clothing they should be able to deal with packaged rubberbands, especially if there's a legal requirement to do so.
Here's a local vendor:
posted by Herodios at 8:34 AM on July 20, 2011
Here's a local vendor:
Our equipment is capable of destroying all types of confidential material including, but not limited to*:* See, they even understand legal redundospeak.
Paper Documents
Electronic Media
File Folders
Uniforms
Microfiche
Prescription Bottles
Publications
Videotapes
X-rays
Very little preparation of your material is required.
Accepts material with staples, paper clips, binders, etc.
Always provides a notarized Certificate of Destruction upon completion of the destruction process.
posted by Herodios at 8:34 AM on July 20, 2011
Best answer: You should think about contacting KaBOOM!--a non-profit that helps communities build playgrounds in places where they need them.
The reason why KaBOOM! might be helpful is that they use rubber mulch (shredded rubber) as an underlayer in many of their projects. So they may have a way for you to destroy the IP value of your rubber bands while still making good use of them. If they don't themselves, they may have a corporate partner who does.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:35 AM on July 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
The reason why KaBOOM! might be helpful is that they use rubber mulch (shredded rubber) as an underlayer in many of their projects. So they may have a way for you to destroy the IP value of your rubber bands while still making good use of them. If they don't themselves, they may have a corporate partner who does.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:35 AM on July 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
Goodwill or another program for the disabled could probably have people cut them for you. Someone who works in a residential mental health program for kids told me that they like to have volunteer projects. Rubber bands can be cut with kid scissors, so it's not scary.
posted by theora55 at 9:06 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by theora55 at 9:06 AM on July 20, 2011
If the main problem is manpower but you have time, midsummer in Ohio might be your cheapest option - you could spread the bands out in a single-band layer and take advantage of photodegradation. A few days of direct sunlight should substantively decrease their elasticity, effectively ruining them.
posted by gingerest at 12:51 AM on July 21, 2011
posted by gingerest at 12:51 AM on July 21, 2011
Can you post an update of how you eventually solved the rubber band problem? I'm totally curious -- and the county I live in presently has a similar problem only with tires which we haven't elegantly solved.
posted by countrymod at 9:53 AM on July 26, 2011
posted by countrymod at 9:53 AM on July 26, 2011
Response by poster: I found a place that will dispose of what they must and recycle what they can for about $325. The other option is to take them directly to the landfill. A decision hasn't been made yet.
posted by charred husk at 11:51 AM on July 26, 2011
posted by charred husk at 11:51 AM on July 26, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Do you have access to e.g. an industrial shredding machine (or a wood chipper), a steam roller, a furnace or kiln, or, y'know, other stuff like that?
posted by box at 7:32 AM on July 20, 2011