By now, the notion of recycling is as pedantic, and as easy to dismiss, as say, the mantras that “vegetables are good” and “vacations are fun.” However, the once-annoying act of recycling has gotten a face lift in recent years as businesses realize their accountability to Mother Nature, and actualize their increased profits because of it.

“Companies are absolutely saving money by recycling,” explained Joy Hinz, environmental specialist for Dupage County. “It costs more to get rid of common waste, so if you can figure out what waste you are creating, and separate waste from recyclables” companies can save money.

Typical waste removal, involving large haul-away receptacles, costs more than typical recyclable removal programs. The excess cost is made in various landfill fees, tipping fees, and other fees, said Hinz.

Because of this, companies are realizing that it’s advantageous to separate waste from recyclables, to establish a recycling program, and to then sit back and watch ones company save money.

The process for jumpstarting a recycling program is being made easier by contacting service companies that specialize in garbage removal.

If a companies’ office space is owned by a outside investor, Hinz recommends that companies first contact that investor, and question them as to cost, availability, and overall interest in creating a comprehensive recycling program. On the other hand, if a company owns its own space, it can skip the middleman, and directly contact a local waste hauler.

In addition to new profits made by separating recyclables from waste, businesses also have another incentive to recycle. Much of the waste offered by businesses, from plastics to cardboard to old technology equipment, are actually bought by recycling services. This begs the question, ‘Why give it away for free when one can get money for it?’ Or why pay for disposal services, when those services should be the ones paying?

And with so much garbage being generated, it’s no wonder that waste and recyclable removal services is big business in the Chicago area.

Allied Waste Industries Inc., a large subcontractor for suburban cities such as Naperville, records revenues of more than $5 billion per year, with total assets standing at $14 billion. Operating out of 128 major markets, Allied Waste owns 169 active landfills and 53 recycling centers, of which 20 landfills and 10 recycling centers operate in Illinois.

It currently recycles 1.7 million tons each year.

Those numbers look to grow, say experts, as business continues to implement recycling programs and reap subsequent profits.

But not only are businesses taking advantage of recycling programs, so are Chicago suburban cities.

Last year the village of Glen Ellyn saved money by negotiating a contract with its waste hauler that required the waste hauler to give back a percentage of their recycling profits to Glen Ellyn. In total, Glen Ellyn netted $112,000 in the deal.

“It’s an incentive to educate your community to recycle more,” said Kay McKeen, founder of SCARCE, a non-profit organization aimed at environmentally educating the community.

It’s also a good business model, McKeen said, in showing that recycling can be profitable. Teaching business to recycle, then, becomes a lesson that individual employees learn and take home with them. In this way, businesses are saving money, individuals are being eco-savvy, and cities, in some instances, are reaping the rewards.

But reports show that individual consumers are recycling at a greater rate than businesses. Or in other words, businesses have room for improvement.

In 2006, Dupage County reported that of the estimated 371,022 tons of residential garbage collected, nearly 37 percent of it was recycled. That achieved the State mandated goal of 25 percent.

But of the nearly 288,017 tons of commercial garbage collected, only 22 percent was recycled. Evidently, while businesses have exponentially the amount of recyclable materials than private owners do, they remain less prudent in their recycling efforts.

According to current manuals, everything from automotive products, batteries, carpet recycling, tech appliances, cell phones, fluorescent lamps, paper, household hazardous waste, latex paint, propane tanks, scrap metal, tires, and yard waste, among other products are recyclable.

Yet while some items are easily recycled, others are not. Papers, cardboard and the like end up in large outdoor receptacles, but where do odder objects like microwaves, fluorescent lamps, and office filing cabinets go?

Recycling these items requires contacting businesses specializing in their removal, said Hinz. But, she adds, there exist many services in the Chicago area that are all too eager to take those items away, recycle them, and then resell them.

In this instance, it seems, one company’s garbage really is another company’s treasure.

For additional information on business recycling within Dupage County, log onto Dupageco.org/edp/