SANFORD, Maine, August 17, 2010 – Sanford, Maine, has cut its trash – and its trash bills – in half.

One month after implementing the WasteZero^® Trash Metering System that asks residents to pay by the bag for curbside trash collection, Sanford officials say residents have responded by reducing the amount of trash they throw away by more than 50 percent. The town's recycling rate, meanwhile, has more than doubled.

"The first month of Pay-As-You-Throw has been an unqualified success," said Sanford Town Manager Mark Green. "Both the increase in recycling and decrease in trash have exceeded our projections."

Sanford’s 50 percent reduction in trash tonnage translates to a 50 percent savings in the tipping fees paid to unload trash at the Maine Energy Recovery Company (MERC) in Biddeford. Officials say that, at the current rate, the town will save $250,000 to $275,000 in tipping fees over a year, which doesn't take into account an anticipated increase in tipping fees of 20 percent in January, 2011.

Recycling in Sanford, which was well below the state average, has soared 150 percent with the WasteZero^® System. It's been "a huge success," says Public Works Director Charles Andreson. "We're very, very, very pleased with the amount of energy folks have put in [to the program]."

Town officials say the "compliance rate" is at nearly 100 percent. "Our citizens seem to be accepting and supportive of this new system of waste management, and that’s the most important thing," said Green.

"What an accomplishment for Sanford," said WasteZero^® President Mark Dancy. "Hundreds of thousands in town savings, a boon to the environment, and Sanford residents now have a fair way to pay for trash."

Trash Metering, also known as pay-as-you-throw, user pay, unit-based pricing, and SMART (Save Money and Reduce Trash), is recognized as the leading solution to both environmental and fiscal exigencies by a rapidly growing number of US municipalities, resulting in a 40 percent growth in programs since 2000. Sanford joins the more than 150 towns and cities in Maine that have made the switch to Trash Metering. Nationwide, there are more than 7,100 Trash Metering communities. The U.S. EPA has called on cities to adopt Trash Metering, calling it "the single most effective way to reduce residential solid waste, increase recycling, and decrease waste-related greenhouse gas emissions."

About WasteZero^®

WasteZero^® partners with municipalities to deliver variable-rate waste management pricing programs that reduce waste sent to local landfills, increase recycling rates, and generate local revenue. Founded in 1991 and operating in more than 40 states and Canada, WasteZero supports more than 300 integrated pay-as-you-throw waste reduction programs – more than any other company in the U.S. Communities that partner with WasteZero^® average a 43 percent reduction in the waste they send to local landfills every year. In addition to reducing natural resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, WasteZero^® partner communities last year also generated an estimated $65 million in avoided disposal costs and fees that in turn became service revenue.

Environmentalists and city officials are hailing Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) as one of the most important environmental stories of the past decade – a story you’ll surely want to consider for Earth Day, April 22nd.

PAYT has had a remarkable impact on the nation’s environment. PAYT is responsible for eliminating 6.5 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) each year that would have otherwise been landfilled or incinerated. From a local perspective, most cities that implement PAYT immediately cut their waste by 20 percent or more. Even more impressive, WasteZero, a company that runs pay-per-bag PAYT programs for some 300 U.S. cities, has reduced trash by an average 43%, and frequently by as much as 50%.

Some quick background:  Pay-As-You-Throw, sometimes called Trash Metering or Unit-Based Pricing, charges households a rate based on how much trash they throw away. This simple concept – akin to paying a water or electricity bill – has been embraced by more than 7,100 municipalities in the United States – including large cities like Seattle and San Francisco; medium-sized cities like Worcester, MA, Binghamton, NY, and Austin, TX; and thousands of smaller communities. PAYT programs are available to about 25% of the US population and about 26% of communities in the US. And it’s rapidly growing – particularly in the Northeast, where hundreds of landfills are approaching capacity. Nationwide, there’s been a 40 percent growth in programs since 2000.

US cities are turning to PAYT because

• The programs have a remarkable impact on recycling – communities have doubled and even tripled their recycling rates after implementing WasteZero PAYT.


• The programs encourage not just recycling, but also reuse, composting, and waste reduction. PAYT has reduced trash by an astounding degree – in Massachusetts, for example, 11 of the 15 towns with the lowest per-capita disposal tonnage have PAYT programs in place (all 11 programs, incidentally, are WasteZero PAYT).


• The programs are fair. When the cost of trash disposal is hidden in property taxes or charged at a flat rate, households that recycle and prevent waste subsidize their neighbors' wastefulness. Under PAYT, households pay only for what they throw away.


• The programs allow communities to save money. When a PAYT community reduces waste by 50 percent, it means 50 percent savings to the municipality. As the US EPA put it recently, "If a community pays 50 percent less for disposal, that’s a result worth the effort."


• National, state and local environmental officials love PAYT. Connecticut DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy says that if every town in Connecticut switched to PAYT and achieved an average 40 percent diversion rate, "then Connecticut would eliminate an estimated 595,000 MTCE (Million Ton of Carbon Equivalent) from the atmosphere – the equivalent of taking 446,250 cars off the roads. That is probably close to 20 percent of the registered/insured cars in the State." The US EPA says PAYT "has proven to be the single most effective way to reduce residential solid waste, increase recycling, and decrease waste-related greenhouse gas emissions."

The Boston Globe last month reported that a decade of recycling education has failed to even budge recycling rates in the state of Massachusetts – but cities implementing PAYT, reports the Globe, have had "consistent" success.

To be sure, implementing a PAYT program can be more than just a little politically challenging. Convincing residents and local politicians that solid waste service is a utility that should be billed and controlled as such is about as ambitious as it sounds. But ask local and state officials, environmentalists, and economists – and even most of the residents in the 300 WasteZero PAYT communities – and they’ll tell you the rewards far and away justify the challenges.

WasteZero has been recognized by environmental officials and renowned economists as a leader in PAYT. The US EPA has lauded WasteZero's remarkable environmental benefits, calling the WasteZero System's impact on municipal recycling rates "staggering."

You may contact me at any time between now and Earth Day for contact information on the following suggested Earth Day story interview subjects:

• WasteZero President and CEO Mark Dancy, one of the nation’s leading experts and consultants on municipal PAYT programs


• City officials in PAYT communities


• Environmental activists (national and local)


• Economists


• State environmental agency officials

Follow these links to learn more about recent PAYT success stories in Concord, NH, Malden, MA, and Gloucester, MA. You may also find this collection of quotes on PAYT useful.

MURRELLS INLET, South Carolina, March 22, 2009 – The City of Concord, New Hampshire, today released second-quarter results of the city’s new Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) solid waste program for municipal trash disposal, indicating that trash reduction and cost savings have far exceeded program expectations. The WasteZero^® System is an integral component of the program.

The program, said Concord Mayor Jim Bouley, has been "an overwhelming success."

Comparing figures from October-December 2009, the program’s second quarter, with the same period in 2008, today’s report shows Concord's solid waste volume is down a remarkable 45 percent. Recycling, meanwhile, has soared 57 percent. These results are similar to results in the City’s first quarter PAYT report.

"I think these numbers speak for themselves," said City Councilor Keith Nyhan, who sits on the solid waste advisory committee. "We're very pleased with how the program has moved forward."

The Pay-As-You-Throw program that includes the WasteZero^® System charges residents for garbage disposal the same way they're charged for electricity or gas – by the amount they consume – thereby creating an incentive to recycle more and generate less waste. To throw away their trash, households use official municipal trash metering bags that they purchase from area retailers.

"What a victory for Concord," said WasteZero^® CEO and President Mark Dancy. "A boost to city finances, a boon to the environment, and Concord residents now have a fair way to pay for trash. This is a huge win all around."

The report also indicates that resident participation in the program is at 100 percent. No trash has been left on the curb, according to the report.

Mayor Bouley said that while the program may not have been popular in the beginning, it's doing exactly what it was designed to do: save money and increase recycling. "Change is tough for a lot of folks. It was a tough decision, but the councilors stepped up to the plate," said Bouley.

"If the trend keeps up, in two years I can say this city is a leader in the state for recycling."

In New England, a rapidly growing number of municipalities have already implemented the WasteZero^® System, with most programs concentrated in Massachusetts. The Concord program represents one of the first in the state of New Hampshire. "The results in Concord," said Mark Dancy, "confirm that New Hampshire residents are ready to step up for the environment and for the strength of their communities."

About WasteZero^®

MURRELLS INLET, South Carolina, Nov. 16, 2009 – WasteZero^®, a leading environmental services and consulting firm, has announced a series of “Informational Sessions” starting next week in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where company officials will discuss the benefits of Pawtucket’s proposed new trash plan – the WasteZero^® System for saving the city money, reducing trash, and increasing recycling. The first sessions on the WasteZero^® System are scheduled for November 17th, 18th, and 19th at various Pawtucket elementary schools.

Waste management experts and state and local officials say the WasteZero^® System is a fairer and more equitable way to charge for trash disposal because residents pay only for the amount of trash they throw away. Households are charged for garbage disposal the same way they’re charged for electricity or gas – by the amount they consume, thereby creating an incentive to recycle more and generate less waste.

The WasteZero^® System has already been adopted by more than 100 New England cities and towns. Similar programs have been installed in more than 7,000 cities nationwide.

WasteZero^® cities average a 43 percent reduction in residential trash The US EPA has hailed the WasteZero^® System for its diversion of millions of pounds of recyclable and reusable materials from landfills and incinerators. According to a US EPA report, “The results [of the WasteZero^® System]…are staggering.”

The WasteZero^® System has also made an important financial impact on municipal budgets. By reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills and incinerators each month, WasteZero^® cities can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on hauling and disposal costs – money that can then be spent on other important municipal projects, services, and jobs.

“It’s an honor that city officials have asked us to host these WasteZero^® Informational Sessions,” said Mark Dancy, president and CEO of WasteZero^®. “We’re looking forward to speaking with Pawtucket residents about the WasteZero^® System and what it would mean to the future of this wonderful city.”

Schedule of Informational Sessions on the WasteZero System:

Tue., Nov. 17 at 7:00 PM at Curtis Elementary School, 582 Benefit Street
Wed., Nov. 18 at 7:00 PM at Baldwin Elementary School, 50 Whitman Street
Thur., Nov. 19 at 7:00 PM at Cunningham Elementary School, 40 Baldwin Street
Tue., Dec. 1 at 7:00 PM at Curvin Elementary School, 466 Cottage Street
Wed., Dec. 2 at 7:00 PM at Fallon Elementary School, 62 Lincoln Avenue
Thur., Dec. 3 at 7:00 PM at Little Elementary School, 60 S Bend Street
Tue., Dec. 8 at 7:00 PM at Potter Elementary School, 973 Newport Avenue
Tue., Dec. 15 at 7:00 PM at Varieur Elementary School, 486 Pleasant Street
Wed., Dec. 16 at 7:00 PM at Winters Elementary School, 481 Broadway
Thur., Dec. 17 at 7:00 PM at Greene Elementary School, 285 Smithfield Avenue

About WasteZero^®

MURRELLS INLET, South Carolina, November 12, 2009 - WasteZero^®, a leading environmental services and consulting firm, pays tribute to America's commitment to environmental awareness by celebrating America Recycles Day 2009 on November 15th. America Recycles Day is dedicated to raising awareness about the advantages of recycling and reducing waste.

"America Recycles Day draws attention to the important fact that reducing waste is good for America," said Mark Dancy, President and CEO of WasteZero^®. "With our cities facing unprecedented environmental and fiscal challenges, it's heartening to see a rapidly growing number of municipalities putting in place meaningful recycling and waste reduction measures. America's communities are discovering that waste reduction is not only a prudent environmental response, but also fiscally sound policy. WasteZero^® is proud to be part of this movement."

WasteZero^® provides the world's most effective programs for municipal governments to reduce solid waste, increase recycling, and generate revenues. The more than 270 U.S. cities that already use the WasteZero^® System for trash metering have reduced residential trash by an average of 43 percent, which allows for extended landfill life and dramatic savings in solid waste disposal costs. A recent report by the US EPA called WasteZero's results "staggering."

Economists say WasteZero's waste reduction model can be invaluable to financially strapped municipalities. The town of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, for example, implemented the WasteZero^® System two years ago. As a result, municipal solid waste tonnage was reduced in half, recycling soared, and new annual revenue was injected into the town budget. Standard and Poor's chief economist David Wyss says Dartmouth rose to the challenge of finding an innovative way to both provide a municipal service and obtain the revenue to pay for it. In a radically changed environment, says Wyss, it's precisely "the kind of thing [municipalities] can do."

The WasteZero^® System charges residents for garbage disposal the same way they're charged for electricity or gas -- by the amount they consume -- thereby creating an incentive to recycle more and generate less waste. To throw away their trash, households use official municipal trash metering bags that they purchase from area retailers.

"The growing number of communities that have carried out plans to reduce overall waste volumes and increase recycling rates should be commended," said Dancy. "Still, the sheer volume of waste that continues to be generated by Americans each year -- more than 254 million tons -- means that more communities need to take responsibility for doing what is financially and environmentally in the best interest of their cities and the nation as a whole -- they must reduce waste."

About WasteZero^®

MURRELLS INLET, South Carolina, November 05, 2009 - Two New England communities Tuesday re-elected city officials who had strongly backed their city's WasteZero^® Systems, while a referendum to repeal the 13 month-old WasteZero^® program in Malden, Massachusetts was defeated.

The WasteZero^® System charges residents for garbage disposal the same way they're charged for electricity or gas - by the amount they consume - thereby creating an incentive to recycle more and generate less waste. To throw away their trash, households use official municipal trash metering bags that they purchase from area retailers.

In Concord, New Hampshire, City Councilor Keith Nyhan, who, as chair of the solid waste committee, recommended last year that the city move forward with WasteZero^® trash metering, was re-elected with 80 percent of the vote.

Nyhan, who will serve a third term, said he viewed his victory as "a pretty good endorsement of what I've done and what people think I will continue to do." Nyhan said he never doubted the decision to bring WasteZero^® waste metering to Concord. "I never questioned if what I was doing was right," Nyhan said, "because the numbers were working out."

In Malden, not only did the city's repeal referendum not pass, but voters turned out to re-elect city officials who backed the WasteZero^® trash-metering system, and defeat candidates who built their campaigns around backing the repeal.

On Saturday, Fox News highlighted the notable success of Malden's WasteZero^TM program. Last week, the Concord WasteZero^® System was featured in USA Today.

Fox, the national news network, shined a light on WasteZero^® and Malden's impressive waste diversion and recycling numbers and the money that the program has injected into Malden's budget. "The numbers don't lie," reporter Laura Ingle said. "Solid waste has been cut in half from a year before, and recycling is up 75 percent."

"For us it's been a total success both financially and environmentally," Malden Mayor Richard C. Howard told Fox.

According to the Malden Observer, before the WasteZero^® System, Malden trash tonnage averaged 21,000 tons a year. Since the implementation of WasteZero^®, the tonnage has been cut in half, to about 10,000 tons. As a result, said Mayor Howard, the city has saved in excess of $800,000 in solid-waste disposal costs. Bag sales, meanwhile, have topped $1.7 million dollars for the calendar year.

USA Today focused on Concord's noteworthy early success in just the first few months of the program: "The city's 3-month-old 'pay-as-you-throw' trash program is reducing trash volume by 50% and increasing recycling rates by 75%." The article also noted, "Officials said that if the trend continues, the city can save about $528,000 in reduced trash-disposal costs."

WasteZero^® President and CEO Mark Dancy called the election day results "an important validation of the benefits of the WasteZero^® System. And because of stories like the ones in USA Today and on Fox, the rest of the country is getting the chance to see just how impactful the WasteZero^® System can be.

About WasteZero^®

MURRELLS INLET, South Carolina, October 23, 2009 - WasteZero^®, a leading environmental services and consulting firm, today announced the introduction of the WasteZero^® Enviro-Bag^®, a 100% degradable trash metering bag containing recycled plastic. The revolutionary WasteZero^® Enviro-Bag^® completely degrades and breaks down, returning to nature in 24-36 months -- leaving no harmful residue.

"Many of our clients have wanted a cost-competitive, degradable trash metering bag, and now, because of recent scientific advances, we can deliver it," said Mark Dancy, President and CEO of WasteZero^®. "This is an exciting new product."

WasteZero^® provides the world's most effective programs for municipal governments to reduce solid waste, increase recycling, and generate revenues. The WasteZero^® System delivers to municipalities a turn-key approach to trash metering. "The Enviro-Bag^® complements our other solutions that help municipalities address both their environmental and fiscal challenges, so this is a natural fit," said Dancy.

The WasteZero^® Enviro-Bag^® is made with an oxo-biodegradable proprietary application method developed by EPI to produce the film for the bags. As a result of this advanced manufacturing process, the Enviro-Bag^®, when discarded in a landfill in the presence of microorganisms, moisture, and oxygen, decomposes into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass -- simple materials found in nature.

"Our clients have had to wait a couple of years for the technology and testing to catch up, but fortunately it's been worth it," said Joe Morris, WasteZero's Vice President for Business Development. "This technology is a significant advance for the solid waste industry here in the U.S."

The WasteZero^® Enviro-Bag^® is available today to all WasteZero^® System municipalities.

About WasteZero^®

MURRELLS INLET, South Carolina, Aug. 5, 2009 - WasteZero^®, the national leader in producing cost-saving municipal waste reduction programs, today announced the appointment of Bob Zirlin as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Reporting directly to Mark Dancy, WasteZero's^® President and CEO, Zirlin will take over responsibility for developing and executing sales and marketing strategies and initiatives designed to promote sales growth and market share, increase brand awareness, and drive new business development.

"Bob's expertise in sales and marketing will be a tremendous asset to WasteZero^® as we continue our rapid growth," said Dancy. "He has a strong track record in not only marketing to municipalities but also raising public awareness of environmental concerns. He's led highly effective marketing and sales efforts for both Fortune 500 and mid-sized environmental, energy, and industrial businesses. WasteZero^® is pleased to welcome Bob to our management team."

Zirlin brings more than 20 years of leadership and operational experience in sales, marketing, and corporate strategic planning. Prior to joining WasteZero^®, he was Director of Marketing for Insituform Technologies, a global $845 million NASDAQ environmental products and services company, where he successfully directed marketing strategy and communications, product management, market research, lead generation, inside sales, pricing, and web-based initiatives. Before Insituform, Zirlin worked for ArvinMeritor, the former automotive business of Rockwell International, where he held the positions of Director of Product Planning and Director of Worldwide Marketing.

Zirlin received an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business and a bachelor's degree from Lafayette College in Easton, PA.

About WasteZero^®

WasteZero^® partners with municipalities to deliver variable rate pricing programs that reduce waste sent to local landfills, increase recycling rates, and generate local revenue. Founded in 1991 and operating in more than 40 states and Canada, WasteZero^® supports more than 250 integrated pay-as-you-throw waste reduction programs - more than any other company in the U.S. Communities that partner with WasteZero^® average a 43 percent reduction in the waste they send to local landfills every year. In addition to reducing natural resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, WasteZero^® partner communities last year also generated an estimated $65 million in avoided disposal costs and fees that in turn became service revenue.

By Mike Cherney

The Sun News

At WasteZero's garbage-bag factory in Hemingway, employees stuff blue garbage bags - emblazoned with the town seal of Malden, Mass. - into boxes that will soon appear on store shelves in the New England town of 56,000.

The bags are sold for $2 each, and Malden's garbage collectors only pick up city bags. Recycling, though, is free, so the idea is residents will recycle more and throw out less to save on the garbage bags.

WasteZero^®, which has corporate offices in Murrells Inlet, began in 1991 as a plastic bag recycling company and has since shifted its focus to helping towns and cities implement these "pay-as-you-throw" garbage programs. Most of its clients are in the Northeast, but Mark Dancy, the president of the company, now wants to expand the company's presence in South Carolina.

"I personally am excited about seeing municipal government be more efficient, and I think the environmental aspects of it are a plus," he said. "But I'm happy to have 60 people that our company gives paychecks to out here in Hemingway. This area needs it."

Pay-as-you-throw garbage programs have increased in popularity in recent years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In 1999, four states had 200 communities or more that had implemented the program; by 2006, the number had grown to 10 states, the EPA says.

Sitting in a trailer that serves as the office for the $9 million bag factory, Dancy was visibly enthused as he rattled off the benefits of pay-as-you-throw programs. Less garbage is not only better for the environment, he said, but it's also better for local budgets - towns and cities pay less in dumping fees at landfills or incinerators.

The company does more than simply manufacture the bags. It also handles the accounting of the bag sales for the municipalities and the distribution of the bags to local retailers. Representatives are also on hand at public meetings to answer questions as local governments debate whether to implement the program.

Dancy, 43, who has an MBA from the College of William & Mary and a bachelor's degree in economics from George Washington University, said he is fascinated that charging residents a little extra for their garbage bags can create such a big change in behavior.

"It's an unfair system the way it is now," he said. "People who are wasteful are treated just the same as people who may be very diligent in recycling."

Dancy started the business with his father, Gordon Dancy, who helped invent the plastic bag that is now commonly used in grocery stores, as Phoenix Recycling.

It began by collecting plastic bags from schools, recycling them and selling them as garbage bags.

Because they have a larger impact, and the company did not have the capacity to do both, WasteZero^® now concentrates on pay-as-you-throw programs, Mark Dancy said. It recently changed its name to WasteZero^®, though it still sells some recycled garbage bags under the Enviro-Bag^® brand.

In towns that have worked with WasteZero^® on pay-as-you-throw programs, officials report positive results.

Newton, Mass., a city of about 80,000, is starting a program in October, said Tom Daley, the city's commissioner of public works. Daley figured the program would save the city $1 million out of a recycling and trash budget that was about $7 million last budget year.

"This is a very significant program here in the city of Newton," said Daley, who worked with WasteZero^® on a similar program in Duxbury, Mass.

"If I want my job, it cannot fail. These people I know can get it done."

WasteZero's largest client is Worcester, Mass., which has about 175,000 residents. Bob Fiore, the assistant to the city's public works and parks commissioner, said the city started a program in 1993, and WasteZero^® has been making the bags for the past six years or so.

Garbage aside, the city has also saved money in personnel costs through the program, Fiore said.

Instead of needing 33 people to pick up trash around the city, like it did in 1993, the city only needs 14 to 16 people now, he said.

"You want to know that you've got someone who knows what they're doing," Fiore said of WasteZero^®. "Your bags are important to them. It's not like you're making 30 million bags for Glad and you're just going to run these quarter of a million bags for this community for some reason. It's nice that they know what's behind it."

Implementing a pay-as-you-throw program is not always a cakewalk. Residents and politicians are often concerned the program amounts to a hidden tax on garbage or takes away their right to choose which garbage bags to use.

Still, the company's client list has grown to about 250, WasteZero^® officials said.

"Our regional manager up in the Northeast, he's got the easiest job in the world - he just has to answer the phone fast enough," said Arthur Rothschild, WasteZero's newly hired manager of policy and media relations. "There are communities that are calling him saying, 'Hey, we need to get going with pay-as-you-throw.'"

Dan Morgado, the town manager of Shrewsbury, Mass., which implemented a pay-as-you-throw program last year, said he was initially concerned about tacking on the bag fee for garbage pick-up, one of the few municipal services that all residents use, as compared to school or health services.

But trash headed to the local incinerator decreased from about 10,700 tons in budget year 2008, before the program was implemented, to about 7,100 in budget year 2009, he said.

Part of the decrease is probably because of the down economy, because people are buying less and creating less waste, but the program has gone well, Morgado said.

"No one is running up and down the street saying, 'This is so great. I'm so glad we did this,'" said Morgado, whose town has about 30,000 residents. "But I think people appreciate the rationale for doing it. They see how their own behavior has changed, but also we see the amount of material that has been reduced."

WasteZero^® is now looking to duplicate that success closer to home. Dancy said the company hired a regional manager for the Southeast for the first time earlier this year, and Rothschild, who joined the company two months ago, is the first person dedicated to public relations.

Rothschild said the company is launching a newsletter to send to communities across the country.

Looking ahead, the company plans to be more proactive in meeting with municipalities in the Southeast and also with local activist groups, whether they are environmental, fiscally conservative or others.

In Malden, which instituted a citywide pay-as-you-throw program in October, Jeff Manship, the city's director of public works, said it probably saved $80,000 in trash dumping fees in June alone due to more recycling and less waste. WasteZero^® does not just manufacture the bags, but delivers and resupplies the bags to some of the bigger local stores.

"They keep in touch constantly, which is very nice," Manship said. "It's nice to be able to know that right around the corner, somebody's a phone call away if you have an issue."

What | Bag-making company that helps cities reduce waste and encourage recycling

Headquarters | Murrells Inlet

Plant | Hemingway

Employees | 90

Founded | 1991

Clients | 250

© 2009 MyrtleBeachOnline.com and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

MURRELLS INLET, South Carolina, May 14, 2009 – WasteZero^®, the national leader in producing cost-saving municipal waste management programs, today announced the appointment of Arthur J. Rothschild, Ph.D., as the company’s new Manager of Policy and Public Relations. Rothschild will be responsible for all elements of media relations for WasteZero^® and will also direct the company’s policy research department.

“Artie is an excellent addition to our company,” said WasteZero^® President Mark A. Dancy. “With his experience in policy research and communications, and his strong strategic skills, he will be extremely valuable to us.”

Prior to joining WasteZero^®, Rothschild was Communications Director for the Health Partnership Strategy Center in Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for the advocacy group’s overall communication strategy. He has also worked as a researcher and speechwriter for local political campaigns in New York and Texas.

Rothschild earned a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied political communication and media ethics.

About WasteZero^®

WasteZero^® partners with municipalities to deliver variable rate pricing programs that reduce waste sent to local landfills, increase recycling rates, and generate local revenue. Founded in 1991 and operating in more than 40 states and Canada, WasteZero^® supports more than 250 integrated pay-as-you-throw waste reduction programs – more than any other company in the U.S. Communities that partner with WasteZero^® average a 43 percent reduction in the waste they send to local landfills every year. In addition to reducing natural resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, WasteZero^® partner communities last year also generated an estimated $65 million in avoided disposal costs and fees that in turn became service revenue.

MURRELLS INLET, SC - WasteZero^®, the leader in producing cost-saving municipal waste management programs, today announced that Dave Robertson has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer. Robertson will have overall leadership responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the company's financial functions.

"Dave brings to WasteZero^® a good deal of expertise in developing and running effective financial and business strategies for driving financial performance," said WasteZero^® President Mark A. Dancy. "In addition to his management skills, Dave's experience overseeing the rapid growth of Snider Tire, one of the most respected manufacturing and service companies in the United States, will be a significant asset to WasteZero^® as we continue to grow."

Robertson joins WasteZero^® from Snider Tire, Inc., of North Carolina, where he served the company as CFO and Controller since 1997. As CFO, Robertson was responsible for the strategic planning, development and leadership of all accounting and administrative functions as Snider's revenues grew 340 percent and the number of its employees tripled. His prior experience includes eight years with Arthur Anderson LLP.

Robertson received his bachelor's degree in accounting from North Carolina State University and is a certified public accountant.

About WasteZero^®

WasteZero^® partners with municipalities to deliver variable rate pricing programs that reduce waste sent to local landfills, increase recycling rates, and generate local revenue. Founded in 1991 and operating in more than 40 states and Canada, WasteZero^® supports more than 250 integrated pay-as-you-throw waste reduction programs – more than any other company in the U.S. Communities that partner with WasteZero^® average a 43 percent reduction in the waste they send to local landfills every year. In addition to reducing natural resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, WasteZero^® partner communities last year also generated an estimated $65 million in avoided disposal costs and fees that in turn became service revenue.

Over the past 2 years WasteZero^® of Murrells Inlet has worked with 250 municiplilities to divert over 1 billion pounds of solid waste from landfills. Most of the recent media coverage relating to South Carolina and waste has been negative. That's why WasteZero's President Mark A. Dancy says "folks are surprised to hear that one of the leaders in residential waste reduction and recycling systems is headquartered in South Carolina. It amazes me that we have so much talk about building and adding on to landfills and so little talk about reducing waste." WasteZero^® partners average about a 43% reduction in residential waste.

WasteZero^® specializes in programs that treat residential solid waste like other utilities do, where people pay for what they generate. "We wouldn't think of taking water meters off homes and telling folks 'you all pay the same no matter how much you use'. It wouldn't be fair and people would quickly develop wasteful habits; but that's exactly what most of us have with our current trash systems." WasteZero^® creates systems that in effect meter trash. This creates equity in that people only pay for what they throw away while being given the option to recycle as much as they want for free.

Until recently, WasteZero^® was focused almost exclusively in the Northeast where landfill costs tend to be higher and concerns about environmental issues are more prevalent. Recent events have changed that. The recession has forced municipal governments to be more focused on costs, like landfill tonnage, while residents saw the recent spike in oil prices as a message that being wasteful is not sustainable.

"Our programs in the rest of the country are proven; some have over a decade long track record. We now think the Southeast is ready to embrace and take advantage of the benefits that our program offers."

The biggest benefit to municipalities is financial. Last year WasteZero^® partner communities generated an estimated $65 million in avoided disposal costs and fees that in turn became service revenue. Some communities used the funds for rebates on taxes and others to close budget shortfalls or to maintain traditional levels of public services.

There are other benefits to waste reduction as well. WasteZero^® programs increase recycling and source reduction saving valuable natural resources, most notably energy. "There is no single act that a municipality or county can make that will have greater positive environmental impact than implementing a WasteZero^® program."

Another benefit to a WasteZero^® program is the positive effect recycling has on the economy. As quoted by Gary Bilbro, Executive Director of the Carolina Recycling Association, "the positive environmental impact of the recycling may be the greatest benefit to recycling, but no one can discount the positive economic impact recycling has on a community. it takes people to process recyclable materials to get them to an eventual market to be used for manufacturing new products. Jobs are created through each aspect of recycling including collection, processing, transportation and manufacturing. If every community embraced a program like the WasteZero^® program, our environment, our economy and our children would be the greatest benefactors."

Systems like the WasteZero^® program are promoted and endorsed by the EPA and DHEC. "Our programs fair, fiscally and environmentally responsible and help to create jobs. We hope municipal leaders and taxpayers support the proven win-win public policy.

Murrells Inlet, SC (1-23-09) Phoenix Recycling, Inc. headquartered in Murrells Inlet, SC announces today it is officially changing the company’s name to WasteZero^®. Mark A. Dancy, President says “the name change is a natural progression of our vision. We want to remove every piece of recyclable material from the waste stream that can be feasibly removed. By utilizing great program design and implementation we help our municipal partners to see savings and revenue from the process. We want the programs to run successfully for decades.”

WasteZero^® partners with municipalities to deliver programs that reduce waste going into landfills, improve recycling rates and generate revenue.

Mark A. Dancy says “WasteZero^® is 100% focused on implementing successful municipal waste reduction and recycling programs. Founded in 1991, we embrace PAYT and dedicate our company to our partners’ success. WasteZero^® supports over 250 integrated waste reduction programs – more than any other company in the US. Our history shows we run the most successful programs in the world in terms of waste reduction, improved recycling rates, and economic efficiency.”

WasteZero^® PAYT Programs provide municipalities with both economic and environmental benefits. While increasing recycling rates, these programs reduce natural resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use while increasing the opportunity for regional job growth through recycling.

WasteZero^® currently operates in over 40 states and Canada.

WasteZero^® – Proven. Practical. Solutions.

Contact: WasteZero^® Marketing

Boston, MA (January 23, 2009) - WasteZero^® announces plans to host nine (9) Pay As You Throw forums in New England beginning in February. The round table discussions will include local municipal administrators and politicians from towns participating in WasteZero^® PAYT programs. Participants will hear first hand from their counterparts and learn how WasteZero^® PAYT programs can make a difference for their town, too.  

Mark A. Dancy, President of WasteZero^®, stated “during these times of tight budgets, rejecting the significant savings generated by WasteZero^® PAYT Programs can cause significant challenges for municipalities. These forums are designed to allow a round table dialogue with questions and answers that will enable municipal leaders to make educated decisions on PAYT.  

WasteZero^® is the leader in providing municipalities with the optimum in both economic and environmental benefits. While increasing recycling rates, these programs reduce natural resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use while increasing the opportunity for regional job growth through recycling.

WasteZero^® currently operates in over 40 states and Canada.

For more information contact: WasteZero^® Marketing

Murrells Inlet, SC (January 20, 2009) - WasteZero^® announces the appointment of Joe Morris as Vice President of Sales, Southeast U.S. Mr. Morris has over thirty years of experience in the paper, glass and plastics industries with various US corporations in sales, marketing, lobbying and product development.  

Mark A. Dancy, President of WasteZero^®, stated “the appointment of Mr. Morris to head our Southeast US Sales Team is strategic to our continued focus and growth as a company. We have witnessed increased interest in PAYT throughout the Southeast and Joe has the energy and experience to help cities and counties understand the importance of implementing these programs. Cities and counties that switch to WasteZero^® PAYT generally see a 40% reduction in residential waste disposal.

WasteZero ^®

WasteZero^® currently operates in over 40 states and Canada.

For more information contact: WasteZero^® Marketing