Community Partnership | Groot Industries - Chicago, IL
Foodservice Packaging Materials Accepted
Paper cups*Paper bags
Pizza boxes
Molded fiber carriers/takeout containers
Molded fiber egg cartons
PET cups
PP cups and containers
Aluminum foil containers/pans/trays
*New items added during partnership
Background
Groot Industries, operating under Waste Connections, holds a prominent position in the Chicagoland area, providing comprehensive waste management services to over 436,000 households. The company serves 30 communities across several counties in Illinois, including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will County.
Groot Industries has played a significant role in the recycling landscape in the Chicago region, transitioning from traditional waste collection to a holistic approach, incorporating source reduction, recycling, and special waste management to reduce disposal volumes. The company’s strong presence in the region and its successful track record made it a great choice to be FPI's first partner in the Chicagoland area, signifying a significant milestone in a larger regional initiative.
Operational and End Market Planning
In collaboration with FPI, Groot expanded its curbside recycling program to include paper cups. This initiative encompassed an assessment of operational logistics, equipment requirements, market accessibility, and cost-effectiveness. After securing alignment among all stakeholders in the recycling chain, Groot officially integrated paper cups into its recycling program.
Outreach & Education
In 2023, FPI awarded Groot a communications grant to inform customers about the newly added recyclable material and to promote the recycling of previously accepted foodservice items, including pizza boxes, plastic cups, and aluminum foil food packaging. This grant funded an outreach campaign and the development of educational materials including social media graphics, a website banner, hauler truck wraps, and customized online video and Spotify ads. The campaign emphasized the inclusion of paper cups and reiterated the importance of ensuring that all recyclables are clean and empty before being placed in recycling carts.
Once paper cups enter the recycling system, mills in the Great Lakes region can use them to manufacture various everyday paper products like paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, and even new paper cups.
Results
The outreach campaign garnered significant engagement across the Chicagoland area, reaching an estimated audience of over 266,000 and generating more than 150 million impressions through various tactics. During the campaign months, there was a remarkable 134% increase in Facebook post reach and a 23% surge in website visits.
Groot received numerous customer inquiries about the addition of paper cups, largely attributable to the ads and social media graphics. Interestingly, Groot observed a notable rise in the inclusion of paper cups in its recycling stream during the months following the campaign launch without a corresponding increase in contamination.
“Through our partnership with the Foodservice Packaging Institute, our journey towards sustainable waste management has reached new heights. With their help, we achieved remarkable success in our region by successfully introducing a new item into our recycling stream,” said Javier Erazo, Groot Material Recovery Facility Manager. “This milestone not only showcases our shared commitment to environmental stewardship but also exemplifies the power of collaboration in creating a greener future. We are immensely proud to be part of this achievement.”
Next Steps
FPI is working with other stakeholders in the Chicago region to expand the reach of these additions and the educational campaign.
Given Groot's high degree of satisfaction with the campaign's outcomes, FPI is now extending its partnership with Waste Connections. The plan is to replicate the success with similar campaigns in other regions served by the company.
September 2023
