Recycling Programs
 At
Steinhafels, we believe the steps we take today towards a cleaner environment
will result in a better future for our company, and the people of our
community. Steinhafels has been a leader in reducing waste through its
recycling programs. In addition, Steinhafels has been sensitive to the
environment by intelligently developing its real estate projects that maintain
and enhance green space and water quality.
Company Recycling Initiatives:
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Steinhafels distribution center in Waukesha recycles cardboard, plastic,
polystyrene, wooden skids, paper, mattresses, and florescent light bulbs.
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Steinhafels will be one of the first furniture companies in the United States
to test a polystyrene densifier. The densifier melts plastic and polystyrene at
a reduction rate of 40:1, the materials are then recycled. The use of this
machine will virtually eliminate waste from being added to land fills.
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Steinhafels recycles furniture, including usable parts by donating them to
Goodwill and other charitable organizations.
Cardboard
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Steinhafels recycles almost 1,000 tons of cardboard annually. That is
equivalent to 17,000 trees!
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17,000 trees filter up to 1,020,000 pounds of pollutants from the air each
year.
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One thousand tons of recycled cardboard saves 3,700,000 pounds of lumber and
24,000,000 gallons of water.
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Recycling 1,000 tons of cardboard saves over nine thousand cubic yards of
landfill space.
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One thousand tons of cardboard recycled saves enough energy to power a TV for
31,000 hours.
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Recycling corrugated cardboard cuts the emissions of sulfur dioxide in half and
uses about 25% less energy than making cardboard from virgin pulp.
Plastic
Environmental engineers are busy working on new and improved ways to recycle
plastic materials. At the present time, recycling plastic is not without its
share of problems. In order to salvage the material, reprocessing can only be
done at low temperatures, causing some recycled plastic to be vulnerable to
contamination. Though plastic recycling is in its early stages, Steinhafels is
excited to encourage and demonstrate sensible usage of this valuable resource,
which would otherwise require 400 years to break down!
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Steinhafels currently recycles over 80,000 lbs. of plastic each year!
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Plastic can take up to 400 years to breakdown in a landfill.
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Much of the recycled plastic ends up as low-grade plastic lumber which may be
used in furniture.
Polystyrene
We will be one of the first companies in the country to start recycling
polystyrene. Polystyrene (Styrofoam) takes 1,000 years to break down in a
landfill.
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