Dry Cleaners Accepting Wire Hangers to Recycle
LAURAL, Md. -- For Earth Day 2014, 386 professional drycleaners, all members of the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, pledged to reduce wire hanger waste by 35 million hangers, or 1,050 tons of steel. That goal was met by a pledge from Gary Maloney of Nu-Yale Glacier Cleaners in Jeffersonville, Ind., which operates 12 locations in Indiana and Kentucky.
The program began in 2012, when drycleaners helped reduce steel hanger waste by 25 million hangers or 750 tons of steel. In 2013 the number grew to 30 million hangers or 900 tons of steel. By recycling hangers drycleaners prevent waste and save money. "This program is designed to help the environment, customers and cleaners," said Mary Scalco, Institute CEO. "Our first year with this program was remarkably successful and we've enjoyed the enthusiasm expressed by program participants as we progress to loftier goals. We'd like to see that number continue to grow as awareness of the program spreads."
"We know that many drycleaners already recycle hangers, so it just makes good sense to do so," said Jon Meijer, Institute membership director. "Now we're asking cleaners to track the number of hangers they reuse or recycle and report it as part of this program. By working together and tracking our results we can monitor the program's contribution to a greener planet."
Cleaners participating in the program pledge to reuse hangers whenever possible and recycle unusable hangers with local steel scrapyards. The Institute provides in-store materials cleaners can use to raise awareness of the program, which often results in more hangers coming into their stores. Participants track the hangers by estimated count and report their recycling numbers to the Institute for inclusion in the program's grand total.
Anyone wishing to recycle their wire hangers may do so at any of the participating drycleaners on the list. If there is no participating cleaner nearby, customers should ask their local cleaner if they'll take the hangers. Individuals can check this website for a list of participating dry cleaners.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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