The Delco Meal Service Center has begun a recycling program that not only benefits the environment but also its employees. Throughout the year, Delco Meal Service Center provides meals to more than 50 clients. Production alone is bound to produce a considerable amount of waste. Delco MSC has turned some of its waste into a rewarding profit share where all of the employees work toward a common goal and reap the benefits together.
Before the current recycling program had been established, 2 local residents spoke with Delco MSC to have permission to pick up the empty wooden pallets from leftover deliveries and recycle them. This act alone helped lower costs by decreasing the frequency of trash removal and reduced cost. When the local residents informed Food Service Director Edie Melvin that they would no longer be able to move the wooden pallets, Edie looked into what they could do on their own in regards to recycling. Thus the recycling program began.
Once the program was established, Production Manager Fred Strange came up with a “Bright Idea” which included recycling the #10 cans used in the food service production. Lisa Duffey, Administrative Assistant, researched a separate recycling facility that would take the cans.
Every time an employee opens a can to use in the daily preparations, that employee rinses it out and places it in a bag on the loading dock. It is then moved to a truck used to transport to the recycling facility. Once the truck is full, drivers on a rotating schedule take the recyclables to the facility to be weighed.
For every recycled pallet, Delco MSC receives $1.50, and for every pound of aluminum (from the cans) $0.22 is received. This may not seem like much but it adds up incredibly fast.
The estimated revenue for 2013 is set to surpass $3500.00, all of which will be used for the employees’ and their Holiday Party.
The entire team at Delco has been working together in this initiative, knowing that with their combined efforts they can all celebrate in the fruits of their labor and help with the environment too! You know what they say, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

The Delco Meal Service Team