JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — Recycling has stopped in Jefferson Parish for now, after the council voted down a new contract Wednesday.
They say costs would have gone up, to only recycle one percent of what is put in the bins, but a group of young entrepreneurs has a mission to change the way it's done.
The founders of REALCYCLE are making sure they are ready for new Jefferson Parish customers.
“In the last 24 hours, we've had a little over a handful of residences in Jefferson Parish reach out to us and get started with their recycling with us,” said Ryan Singer, Co-owner and Director of Partnerships for REALCYCLE.
Right now they pick up recycling from about 100 homes, and big businesses, like hotels and restaurants, in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard, and big events like the Jazz Fest.
“My entire life I've heard concerns, and the lack of faith with our recycling system in all of Louisiana. We're ranked last in recycling,” said Ben Bagwill, founder of REALCYCLE, which started in 2020.
REALCYCLE is different. They say throwing everything in one bin where it gets mixed, crushed together, then contaminating materials, is not working.
“You've heard the number, one percent, or three percent, and that's kind of the average of the amount of material that gets recycled in the systems,” explained Bagwill.
So, this group has the customer separate recyclables.
“It allows us to be much, much more efficient. Ninety-nine percent of what comes to our yard that can be recycled, is recycled,” said Singer.
Here's what REALCYCLE will pick up from your home or business: glass, cans that are aluminum, or steel, and the compost from yard clippings, and food waste, along with corrugated cardboard.
Pick up from your home is $22 a month. That includes two times a month, or you can bring it free on Sunday mornings to their farmer's market at Tad Gormley Stadium.
“On a given Sunday, we've started taking tallies, over 300 people,” said Bagwill.
They've also partnered with the non-profit, Grounds Krewe, putting six recycling stations along the weekend, uptown parade routes.
“Last weekend, we were able to get almost 50,000 aluminum cans despite having one very poor weather day,” said Brett Davis, Founding Director of Grounds Krewe.
They will also have sustainable throws at Iris Saturday, including purple, green, and gold soap, jambalaya mix, bamboo tooth brushes, and they want to recycle what you catch.
“We'll being giving out free throw donation bags, and these are for people to fill full of throws they want to donate back to us. They make their way to Arc of Greater New Orleans, and other organizations to be reused next year,” explained Davis.
This young company, with a handful of workers, is hoping to change the way we think of trash.
“We've invested our heart and soul into this to make it work, to prove the concept,” said Bagwill.
Only five percent of plastic made has been recycled. So, right now the company is not taking plastic or paper.
For more or to sign up here.
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