Generating and Managing our Waste

Waste generation is something we constantly work to reduce. This is achieved, for example, through office initiatives like reducing paper usage through automated HR programs, and finding new ways to recycle and reuse car parts like retreading tires and reusing oil barrels. These procedures are carried out in accordance with environmental compliance laws and regulations, and are often are an additional work-load on our teams, but greatly help in our commitment to reducing our footprint.

We take the creation of all waste, including hazardous material very seriously, and handle these materials in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Green America Recycling, LLC, a subsidiary, manages our use of liquid and solid hazardous waste as alternative fuels in cement manufacturing.

The majority of our operations outside of cement manufacturing are considered ‘small quantity generators’ of hazardous waste. For these operations, the bulk of our hazardous waste comes from the maintenance of our equipment and rolling fleet. Used oil is recycled with verified third parties, barrels, which contained oil, are reused, recycled, or properly disposed of, and solvents and car parts associated with equipment maintenance are disposed of in a careful and lawful manner.

Hamm Inc, an operating company outside of Lawrence, KS, opened a single stream recycling center in 2014, called the Material Recovery Facility (MRF). On an annual basis, the MRF returns tens of millions of pounds of trash which would otherwise have been disposed of in a landfill, back to markets around the world as usable materials. The MRF prides itself on being incredibly clean, well-operated, and an important part of the community in Lawrence, KS. They give regular tours of the operations and enjoy working with University of Kansas and local area high school students on innovative ideas to reduce waste.