Welcome to BARCO Recycling!
Be the change you wish to see in the world.
If you’ve ever wished there was more you could do to help the environment and safeguard your community for future generations, there is. Recycling!
The more we recycle, the less garbage finds its way to landfills and incineration plants. As a city and community, El Paso can reduce the negative impact products made using virgin materials has on our environment. We can save production and energy costs by reusing aluminum, paper, and plastics when we all work together.
Single-stream recycling is easy to do in El Paso and saves consumers the hassle of sorting various recyclable materials into multiple containers.
Single-stream, or commingled recycling, is a process in which aluminum, plastics, paper, and other recyclables are combined in one 96-gallon residential bin and collected by one truck.
The Process
El Paso residents deposit their recyclables into their bins and set them out curbside on their designated pickup day.
Our trucks then collect the bin items and transport them to our material recovery facility (MRF) to be processed into materials that can be used in manufacturing. BARCO employees and sorting machines sort recyclables into the proper categories - paper, cardboard, different plastics, aluminum and tin. The recycled material is then baled for final shipping preparations.
From there, items are shipped to respective recycling facilities where they are processed and remade as new materials. Yesterday’s can of soup can easily be remade into next year’s can of beans.
Recycled materials are bought and sold like other raw materials. Costs fluctuate based on supply and demand.
Reasons to Recycle
- The average American generates 1 ton of trash per year. We can reduce that amount by 35% or more by recycling. It’s important to limit the use of landfills in whatever way possible.
- Recycling reduces our demands on natural resources. By reusing materials, we conserve not only our finite resources but also save energy.
- Recycling creates jobs in communities across the country. Approximately 757,000 recycling and reuse jobs add $38 billion in wages annually. It also creates over $5 billion in tax revenue for municipal and state governments.
- Extracting raw materials produces a lot of pollution. Recycling reduces the energy required and pollution caused by extraction and production. It also keeps the price of raw materials lower.
- By using one collection truck for recyclables, we cut down on emissions and greenhouse gases.
- By reducing the amount of waste in landfills, we can also reduce greenhouse gases. Reduced production costs keep the cost of end products lower than if materials were created using raw materials.
Benefits of Single-Stream Recycling to Consumer
- Single-stream recycling makes it easy for residents to participate in recycling programs. Determining what can be recycled and what can’t is a straightforward process for BARCO customers.
- Because our customers only purchase one bin for collection, the process is cost-effective.
- Products made from recycled materials are less expensive to produce. The cost savings of products made from reused materials are passed on to consumers.
Here’s a partial list of common products that can be made from recycled materials:
- Aluminum cans
- Car bumpers
- Carpeting
- Cereal boxes
- Comic books
- Copy paper
- Egg cartons
- Laundry detergent bottles
- Motor oil
- Nails
- Newspapers
- Paper towels
- Steel products
- Trash bags
Our goal is to make recycling quick and easy for our customers.