Recyclers of the Year (ROY)
Earth First Aid, 2024 ROY
Scott Berens, owner-operator of Earth First Aid will be on hand at the Recycle Montana Recycling Event March 4th in the Capitol Rotunda, Helena, to officially receive their Recycler of the Year award for 2024. The event which is open to the public will feature recycling businesses across the state as well as businesses that sell items made from recycled or repurposed material.
Recycle Montana Executive Director, Candi Zion stated, “Every year we select a recipient for the award recognizing their commitment and success in offering the public opportunities to reuse, repurpose, compost, or recycle materials in Montana. Scott and his family have gone to great lengths to build a successful program that provides recycling services in Billings and eastern Montana.”
When Scott graduated college with degrees in Business, he did not envision himself in his current occupation. After college, he tried his hand at construction but felt the desire to build a business around a needed service. He had an aunt from California where recycling services are readily available, prompting Scott’s dad to suggest starting a recycling business.
And Scott did, starting out with one truck, one trailer and one customer in 2005. He accepted plastic, aluminum, steel, paper, and cardboard, working from his home. About five years later, with the help of friends and family, he was able to move into his first commercial property on 1st Avenue South and buy a forklift. At that time, Scott added glass recycling and eventually moved to a different location.
However, in 2016, Scott experienced disaster when his recycling business at 451 Charles Street caught fire. His 16,000 square foot business, with $400,000 in damage, was a total loss.
With no place to bring his recyclables while his building was being rebuilt, Scott contacted his friend Paul Schultz at the Republic Services Billings Recycling Center to ask for help. Coincidently and conveniently, it was located across the street from his burned building.
Four years later, Paul informed Scott of the opportunity to purchase the building which was at that time occupied by the Billings Recycling Center. The building, located at 458 Charles Street, has continually been a recycling center since the early 1970s, making it one of the oldest running recycling facilities in the state.
Their business has continued to thrive over the years even with changing market conditions. They still accept the items recycled initially with their separated source curbside recycling programs as well as the Donation Area drop-off at its current location. In recent years, they added a Mobile Document Shredding service that recycles the shredded paper, unlike businesses that send the shredded paper to the landfill.
After humble beginnings and dedication, Scott now has eleven employees, four trucks, and 1200+ customers. Paul Schultz, who has been with the Billings recycling businesses at 458 Charles Street since 1990, and now Earth First Aid stated, “I came with the building.”
Paul noted, “Over the past four years, Earth First Aid has recycled over fifteen million pounds of cardboard, five million pounds of paper, 350k pounds of aluminum cans, 917k pounds of plastic bottles, six million pounds of comingle, and shredded one million pounds of paper. That has saved, in manufacturing costs, eighteen million gallons of water, one million gallons of oil, and nineteen million kilowatts of energy.”
Currently, Earth First Aid works with nonprofits in Glendive, Broadus, Miles City, Sidney Red Lodge, and Lewistown. Zion stated, “These nonprofits keep their recycling programs going in a large part due to Earth First Aid who pays for their commodities. Receiving financial compensation helps with expenses, allowing those organizations to give back to their own communities and offer recycling services. That is what Recycle Montana is all about, helping, supporting, and recognizing efforts to grow recycling in Montana.”
For more information about Earth First Aid, contact them at info@earthfirstaid.com.
Glendive Recycles Our Waste (G.R.O.W.) Wins the Recycle Montana 2023 Recycler of the Year Award
Every December, the Board for Recycle Montana, a non-profit organization that promotes recycling in the state, identifies groups, businesses, or individuals that are deserving of winning their Recycler of the Year (ROY) award.
Executive Director Candi Zion states, “The Board selected Glendive Recycles Our Waste (G.R.O.W.) as the 2023 winner. They have one of the most successful volunteer groups dedicated to recycling in the state of Montana. They have operated for 6 years with their outstanding volunteers, developed tremendous community support, been instrumental in educating youth about recycling, and obtained their goal of building a new recycling building at 100 Recycle Road. And impressively, they recycle at least 6 semi loads of cardboard yearly.”
G.R.O.W. is the brainchild of Dawson Resource Council (DRC) members inspired to operate a sustainable recycling center in Glendive. At first, DRC members collected cardboard once a month but increasing tonnage drove home the reality that a fundraising campaign was necessary to expand their ability to accept recyclables. Their campaign successfully brought in many donations from local businesses, organizations and community members.
As time went on, the group of volunteers established themselves as a non-profit, elected officers, wrote bylaws, and leased a spot for their cardboard baler at the Uran Center (KMart). They expanded to include other recyclables, such as plastic, committed themselves to educate the public about what recyclables they accepted, further involved kids, constructed recycling bins for businesses, and established transportation to buyers of their recyclables.
With their operation expanding, G.R.O.W. determined a new facility was needed to accommodate their growth. Several donations including a large anonymous donation allowed them to purchase land and build a 40 x 60 ft metal building with overhead doors to accommodate two balers, drive-in recycling and semi loading. On October 8th, G.R.O.W. held the dedication of their new facility.
Zion noted, “We love to support and recognize the efforts of organizations like G.R.O.W. It takes a lot of dedication and volunteerism to make it work. What they have done is very impressive; they will be a shining example for others to establish recycling programs in their community.”
You can learn more about Recycle Montana on their Facebook page or at recyclemontana.org.
Glendive Mayor Deb Dion awarding GROW member, Bonita (Jinx) Jenkins the award to be placed in their new recycling facility
GROW member loading a cardboard bale
We Recycle Montana- Recycler of the Year (ROY) 2022
Dave hails from North Dakota and landed in Big Sky to be a ski bum. He launched Full Circle Recycling over two decades ago, with inspiration coming from the amount of garbage he saw while working in Big Sky. Full Circle Recycling expanded ten years ago to include biofuels, such as cooking oil, recycling. His idea launched him into the very global world of commodities recycling, something he never imaged he would do. He and a partner formed Four Corners Recycling about 13 years ago at the famous Four Corners out of Bozeman collecting 4000 tons their first year. All of these businesses have expanded exponentially and now operate under the umbrella of We Recycle Montana. Currently, there are 25 families that are benefited by employment with We Recycle Montana. The lead team members are: Abe Schunk, General Manager, Four Corners Recycling; Ryan School, Metals and Baled OCC Manager; Peter Harned Owner, Full Circle Recycling; Dave Leverett Co-Owner, Founder.
Christy Pease- Lifetime Recycling Achievement Award 2022
Christy is receiving this award for her many years of dedication to recycling on the Hi-Line of Montana and to Recycle Montana as a board member and in creating and maintaining our website free of charge for several years; in spite of relocating to Georgia! THANK YOU Christy Pease!!! Recycle Montana appreciates all you have done and do! She received custom made mountain style goblets from Goose Bay Glass, Townsend.