Zero Waste Policy at Mountain Rose Herbs

Article written by Mountain Rose Herbs

As most people are aware by now, society is rushing head long into a green revolution. Recycling has become an accepted and normal aspect of everyday life and most, if not all, businesses incorporate recycling into some facet of their business model. Whether it comes from societal pressures, a true desire to save the earth within management or a need to enhance their bottom line, the corporate world is reaching out for green ideas to implement into their business with great success. But in order to achieve long term successful sustainability, society must grasp the concept of zero waste, a revolution within the revolution.

Zero waste is a new way of looking at the waste cycle itself, where the end product is viewed as a valuable commodity and a local source of revenue. Zero waste encompasses the redesign of the product life cycle itself, putting the responsibility at the beginning of a products life instead of with the consumer at the end of the cycle. This transformation away from a “throw away society” by viewing waste or potential waste as a resource is a commitment that Mountain Rose Herbs has long embraced.

Following the cycle of the natural world, Mountain Rose Herbs has successfully integrated the zero waste paradigm into every facet of our business. Any materials which might be regarded as refuse are either recycled, re-used, composted, or brought back into the production cycle.

All office paper, metal and plastic drums, scrap paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, plastic, steel, and wood is salvaged and recycled. The standards are set so high that recyclable materials found in trash cans is often a punishable offense! All waste oil from our bulk vegetable and carrier oil division is collected for bio-diesel salvage which amounts to nearly 55 gallons a month, and all dried botanical refuse material is collected for composting at local facilities and nurseries which amounts to nearly 3000 pounds annually. We also recycle all electronic and computer components which are no longer in working condition by taking them to a local facility for proper salvage and disposal, thus preventing several known heavy metal sources from being land-filled. Each year this amounts to numerous computers, calculators, faxes, printers, and processing machines from further filling valuable land-fill space.

All packaging materials used by Mountain Rose Herbs, (and we use a lot) are derived from post-consumer recycled materials, and all paper materials are either 50% or 100% post-consumer waste material. Mountain Rose Herbs will never utilize or even condone the use of virgin paper products when such wealth of post-consumer products is available.

According to the EPA, almost 80% of what is thrown into landfills is recyclable, but our current rate for recycling in the US today is only 28%. Recycling and an adherence to a zero waste philosophy must be integrated into our current way of life if we are to ever truly reap the benefits of the revolution knocking at our door. Please check out the websites below for more information on the benefits of understanding and implementing zero waste in your life or business. 

To learn more about the complexities of our Zero Waste program and other environmental initiatives please see our Guiding Principles page

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/about/guiding.html

For additional information, please visit:

The Zero Waste Alliance:
http://www.zerowaste.org/index.htm

The Carbon Fund:
http://www.carbonfund.org/site/