Pocono News Section

Local Company Jump Starting Recycling Programs

Local Company Jump Starting Recycling Programs - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 4:50PM EST

HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY- A local oil waste company is expanding its business to include other products. They're helping hospitals and schools “go green” by offering recycling services that didn't use to be available. It's saving the environment and some big bucks.
While many companies are laying off workers, Hazleton Oil & Environmental is growing. "Absolutely, we hired 7 new people last year, I just hired an additional 4 people and we're looking to grow, significantly," says owner Sloane Six.

They're helping other area businesses “go green” by starting them on recycling programs. "We are now branching out to cover hazardous, universal and solid waste, paper, plastic, cardboard. Anything that can be recycled, we're trying to find homes for," says Six.

Community recycling programs don't offer their services to places like schools, hospitals and other businesses. That's where the "Waste Not, Want Not" recycling program steps in. "Out in the outskirts of our serving area, in Pennsylvania, there really was a gap for a lot of businesses, hospitals, schools that wanted to do the right thing, they needed to be shown how," explained Six.

And in its first few months, it's taken off. "The enthusiasm for the program has been a little overwhelming, actually," she said.

In January the Hazleton Area School District launched the program on a trial basis in four of its buildings. "The impact is immediate for the school districts. They will see a reduction in their trash stream almost immediately," Recycling Coordinator Rose Kelly said.

Recycling will save the district $24,000 in trash fees this year, and it's only in 4 buildings. For next school year the program hopes to expand to include all 12 schools in the district.

And as part of the program, the company even teaches the A-B-C's of recycling. "I educate the students, the staff, the janitorial staff, on how to recycle and what to recycle," said Kelly.

Besides the program in the Hazleton Area School District, others have been started at Weatherly and Tri-Valley schools, along with Hazleton General Hospital.

For more information, go to