The New York Yankees
OBJECTIVES
The New York Yankees, and their waste and recycling hauler Action Carting, came to Recycle Away with the goal of implementing a zero waste program at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees wanted to eliminate trash from the stadium and consolidate waste into two streams, one stream for bottles/cans and another for compostable material. They also wanted containers that were aesthetically pleasing, durable, and that fit in with their strict brand standards.
PROCESS
- Identified that the Claremont Double Recycling Station would be easily serviced, customized, and that it could be created in a three-week turnaround time.
- Worked with Action Carting to ensure maximum recovery in the easiest way.
- Received artwork from the Yankees design team and quality checked.
- Matched the Yankees iconic blue color for the containers.
- Produced 250 containers using LEAN-manufacturing techniques.
- Delivered containers to Yankee Stadium within three weeks of order.
As you can see, our precise manufacturing technique is done by hand and each container is created with love.
RESULTS
Recycle Away supplied 250 containers for placement throughout the concourse of the stadium. In June 2014, the containers were delivered to the stadium and replaced all of the existing recycling containers. This also marked the start of the Yankee’s zero waste program, eliminating their waste stream entirely. They had already worked with all of the vendors at the stadium to eliminate any non-compostable food containers that didn’t fit within the two streams. Stadium custodial staff also benefited from the switch because the side-opening doors of the new containers removed the need to manually lift the trash and recycling bins out.
The containers were designed to be very durable, in a high traffic setting, but also reflect the high-end aesthetic and brand of the stadium. Recycle Away followed best practices in the design, using color-coded lids to distinguish waste streams, including clear signs with words and symbols. The shapes of the openings were also best practice; a circle for the bottle/can opening and a square for the compostable opening. Recycle Away was proud of this project not only because the Yankees are such an iconic brand, but also because they were able to find the perfect mix of durability and design.
Left above: Recycle Away CEO Michael Alexander and his son Gabe admiring their work.
