What does recycling mean to you? For us, recycling is a word of endless opportunities to innovate, grow and advance the industry of recycling. We will always be looking for ways to redefine recycling.
SA Recycling Takes Delivery of Two All-Electric Yard Trucks
SA Recycling took another big step in the green direction last week. They acquired an all-electric yard truck which will be used to move containers and roll-off bins throughout SA Recycling’s Port of Los Angeles facility; a second truck will be delivered sometime this month. The trucks are provided through a generous grant from the Port of Los Angeles in partnership with Balqon Corporation, leaders in heavy duty all-electric clean truck technology. The trucks will replace older diesel trucks that have been used for years in the port and will play a significant role in cleaning the air. SA Recycling applauds and thanks the Port of Los Angeles for their efforts and funding to make this truck delivery program possible. In roughly three years’ time the Clean Truck Program has efficiently reduced port-related truck pollution by at least 80%, achieving all its goals in record time. Emission studies show that since 2005, emission from trucks alone have been reduced dramatically, including a 92% reduction in sulfur oxides, an 89% reduction in diesel particulate matter, and a 77% reduction in nitrogen oxides, helping to make this port complex the cleanest in the nation, if not the world.
SA Recycling’s commitment to the environment is crystal clear, from its state of the art shredder filtration equipment to its stormwater treatment plant, they are committed to doing their part to Green the Port. Making steel from recycled metal, versus making it from iron ore, reduces greenhouse gases by up to 90%, thus making SA Recycling a significant contributor to the reduction of worldwide greenhouse gases. They will be celebrating their 50th year of operation on Terminal Island in late February, a milestone that marks the achievement and dedication of so many great employees that make up the framework of their organization.
State Assemblyman Warren Furutani’s Annual “Back to School” Backpack Giveaway
On August 27th, Warren traveled around the District to deliver over 200 backpacks to students getting ready to go back to school. Deliveries were made to the Boys and Girls Club in Harbor Gateway, the Children’s Institute and the Harbor Community/Wilmington Teen Center. We’d like to thank our generous donors who donated the backpacks and school supplies including: California State University, Dominguez Hills, UCLA, Herbalife and SA Recycling.
SA Recycling Gives SUV To San Pedro’s Toberman House for their Food Giveaway Program
Today, Monday, September 12, 2011 a goodwill jester was made by SA TI to the Toberman House of San Pedro. The Toberman House is a non-profit community organization that offers a holistic approach to social services through three main areas of programming: Healthy Living & Learning, Family Resources, and Gang Intervention; moving individuals from poverty to self-sufficiency. One of the Toberman’s programs is to give food to those in need. Each month they distribute non-perishable foods, mostly cans, to the community and perishable food daily. The food is collected by Toberman Food Pantry manager Levi Wade from local restaurants and donors in the area, often using his personal vehicle to collect the donated food. SA TI could not have thought of a better use for a vehicle that has served its useful life for SAR, with over 236,000 miles on it. Now the manager has a vehicle that he can use to increase donations to help more people.
The Toberman House was very grateful for our donation as the presentation photos below show. It was great to see Levi so happy and so dedicated to his work. You can see the smile on his face, a proud employee, dedicated worker to the people he helps. If you get the chance you can visit their website at: http://www.toberman.org/
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Honors SA Recycling
It was a perfect summer evening this past Saturday night, July 16th, 2011 in the Wilmington section on the Port of Los Angeles where SA Recycling was honored as Business of the Year by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. On top of the prestige’s award we witnessed our own SA TI Port Manager, Elinor Lester, take an oath to continue her Board of Director work for the Chamber.
The Wilmington Chamber is a very community oriented chamber, advocating for the businesses that serve its residents. It certainly works closely with the port and its elected representatives, most of who were in attendance Saturday night. Our Regional General Manager, Moises Figueroa SA TI accepted the award and several accommodations from the elected officials, including Congresswoman Janice Hahn and State Senator Ted Lieu.
It was a special night for Elinor and SA TI, which now has the distinction of business of the year from all cities the region covers; San Pedro, Long Beach, and Wilmington. Additionally, all chambers in the Long Beach Region have SA employees on their boards.
George Adams on the Radio – KFWB
Our President, George Adams, made a live radio appearance today, Friday, June 24th at 9:30 AM on KFWB AM 980. George was interviewed by Bob McCormick, the host of the popular radio show “Money 101”, assisted by longtime KFWB newsman Ron Kilgore. Click on the link below to listen to the broadcast.
U.S. Coast Guard Visits SA Port
Monday, June 27, 2011 - 12 men and women of the United States Coast Guard visited SA Recycling’s Port of LA facility. The tour, led by Captain of the Port Roger Laferriere and Captain Jenkins was certainly a planned visit to give a better understanding of what we do and how well we protect the environment. We showed the USCG team our state of the art massive 9,000 HP all electric shredder (one of four this size in the United States), our enormous electric sheer (capable of cutting steel plates up to three inches thick), our vessel loading operation, the de-poluting station (where we drain vehicle fluids and render vehicles safe for shredding), the mechanic’s area (where a touching story was shared with one of our associates was told), the employee’s break and lunch room facilities, and last but certainly not least, the storm water filtration system. The stormwater system collects water throughout our facility and filters the water with a series of pumps, storminator filters, and clarifies allowing the water to be used over and over again in the yard: storing one million gallons of water.
The tour concluded with a positive awareness of what operations SA Recycling executes in the port, giving assurances to the USCG that we are in full compliance of all rules and regulations. Once we explained the DNA of the company, where a man who changed course in his mid-life with his three young Eagle Scout sons and one daughter, it was certainly easier to comprehend why we are so diligent on ensuring our safety and environmental procedures are precisely followed. The US Coast Guard is the most highly respected protector of the seas in the world and we thanked them for keeping the port and our oceans free of the ills that afflict other countries. My hats go off to the brave men and women of the Guard; “Semper Paratus”.
Long Beach Harbor Commissioner Visits SA Recycling
Wednesday, June 15th Long Beach Harbor Commissioner Mr. Thomas Fields and Executive Assistant Dr. Noel Hacegaba made a visit to SA Long Beach. The tour started with an overview of the company and our facility from the upstairs office and then a walking tour of the yard and vessel. Commissioner Fields, the newest and last of the five (now four with Mario Cordero’s departure) commissioners to visit SA Recycling, “was fascinated” with our operation.
The tour concluded with a ship tour of the MOL Vessel presently loading at our dock. While the commissioner has toured vessels before, he has never toured a bulk vessel while it is being loaded. The mass of 30 metric tons being placed in the cargo hold in one pass of the bucket was amazing to see, as well as a cargo hold capable of holding almost 100 million pounds of cargo .
Commissioner Fields was able to see a different view of the Gerald Desmond Bridge from the bow of the vessel. We spoke about the proximity of the bridge and how practical it would be to recycle the bridge at SA Recycling; using our electric crane and sheer to off load and cut-up the metal for recycling.
The tour, I believe, will make a lasting impression on the Commissioner where he will recall the benefits the port has with having the most environmentally friendly company in the recycling industry in this port. All in all a win-win for the port and SA Recycling partnership in greening and producing results.
Long Beach Unified Elementary Honors SA Recycling
On June 16th, the fifth graders of Long Beach Unified Elementary schools took time from their graduation ceremony to acknowledge SA Recycling. The fifth graders honored SA Recycling’s willingness to help them in their efforts to launch a recycling program for their CRV bottles and cans that helped them raise $1,500 to purchase over an acre of rain forest property. The children plan to continue their environmental efforts and raise even more money next school year. For the full article, click here.
San Pedro Marine Aquarium Honors SA Recycling
Saturday, May 21 marked the day the world renowned San Pedro Cabrillo Marine Aquarium honored SA Recycling as the recipient of their 2011 Grand Grunion Gala Leadership Award. This award has been given to companies that show community involvement while protecting the marine environment; it was presented by the President of the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commission, Cindy Miscikowski. Accepting the award was our very own Regional General Manger, Moises Figueroa. Mr. Figueroa gave a poignant speech from the heart about all the wonderful items that SA Recycling has accomplished to become an environmental steward and promoter of goodwill.
Mr. Figueroa spoke about the environmentally friendly advances that have occurred at SA Recycling. Acknowledging our state of the art stormwater processing facility, which holds a million gallons of water and filters out particles down to the micron level, to the installation of the nation’s first Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) and other air pollution control devices, including a custom made dust collector and scrubber. It was pointed out that collectively we have become leaders and innovators in the industry, while aligning with the port’s Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP). The CAAP was jointly developed and approved by both ports to make our port the cleanest and safest it can be. SA Recycling received an early adopter CAAP Award last year for installing environmentally friendly machinery well before its required date.
With the 25 associates and guests in attendance SA Recycling demonstrated and acknowledged the hard working staff in the port region that has made this award possible. From our top notch industry recognized environmental and safety staff to our operations associates, where 30% of our employees in the Port of LA have been with us for 30 plus years, Mr. Figueroa pointed out he has some of the best trained and skilled workforce in our industry. He dedicated the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Leadership Award to all the people at SA Recycling and to the San Pedro Bay Ports that made it possible.
Additionally the John M. Olguin Marine Environment Award was given to former Port of Los Angeles Environmental Director Dr. Ralph Appy for his tireless efforts in promoting a clean environment while employed at the Port of Los Angeles.
LAPD & SA Recycling Work Together To Prevent Theft
On Wednesday, May 11th SA Recycling’s Terminal Island facility had a visit from seven police officers conducting LA City official business. While some might be alarmed to hear of a police visit, we are happy to report their arrival was solely to tour our facility and learn about recycling and metal theft. The visit included Deputy Chief Patrick Gannon (the number two officer in the LAPD), and six of his Captains, who are in charge of several Los Angeles City divisions south of the Interstate 10 freeway towards San Pedro.
They were very interested to learn about the efforts that SA Recycling has taken to prevent scrap metal theft; it was evident that future cooperation is something both parties will benefit from. Deputy Chief Gannon stated our facility was “very impressive”. The officers saw firsthand how we process and shred a wide array of metal products and how our loading operation works. They witnessed how the very scrap metal we load onto ships at our docks can be processed into semi-finished steel product, such as steel coils, rebar, and steel plates, and returned to the Port of Los Angeles to be unload at the Pasha Terminal just a few hundred yards away. This semi-finished steel is then used in manufacturing throughout the southland, creating good paying jobs in the USA. This process can be repeated thousands of times over hundreds of years since metal does not degrade and can be melted over and over and over again to make steel. The process is so much more environmentally friendly than making metal from iron ore; reducing greenhouse emissions by 90%.
Chief Gannon was also impressed with the knowledge of the group and asked to have SA Recycling’s Roger Young, Director of Loss Prevention travel to the LAPD headquarters to present the metal theft laws in his power point presentation.
LAPD Chief recognized the fact that accepting stolen scrap metal at unscrupulous recycling centers presents a whole other area of crimes contributing to an underground economy. This enables criminals to continue their crime spree and permitting criminals to purchase illegal drugs and conduct other illegal activities.
The tour was a shining example how police and business relationships can aid in the reduction of crimes, especially crimes that effect the environment and victims.
