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Land and Lakes Company is a market leader of green initiatives. As a member of the American solid waste industry, Land and Lakes is an Environmentalist, Every day®. Land and Lakes Company became the first environmental services company in Illinois to receive a landscape waste recycling permit from the EPA. We continue to be the state’s largest landscape waste composter. A sampling of Land and Lakes Company’s many green initiatives follow.
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BIOFUEL FLEET
Every piece of equipment in Land and Lakes’ fleet of more than 200 heavy equipment and vehicles – earthmoving equipment, waste collection vehicles and service-related vehicles – are powered by biodiesel or biofuels. Biofuels are biodegradable, non-toxic and renewable. These fuels release fewer emissions than petroleum when burned. In addition, Land and Lakes’ sales force and engineers drive hybrid vehicles. Hybrids are able to operate on 100 percent electric power at speeds up to 30 mph thereby maximizing in-city fuel economy. Also, hybrid vehicles are capable of automatically switching between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power or a combined operation of electric power and pure gasoline to maximize efficiency and performance. Land and Lakes Company will continue the practice of specifying environment-friendly vehicles as its fleet continues to evolve and grow. |
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LANDSCAPE WASTE COMPOSTING
Land and Lakes Company’s pioneering spirit, progressive thinking and technical abilities allowed it to become the first environmental service company in Illinois to receive a landscape waste recycling permit from the Environmental Protection Agency in 1989. Currently, Land and Lakes is the State’s largest landscape waste compost operator in terms of both volume of material accepted and customers served. Our facilities currently cover more than 250 acres and serve more than 80 Chicago area communities with leaf, grass and brush composting capabilities. To learn more about the benefits of compost, potential application of compost or to obtain possible applications of compost products, click here >> |
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MUNICIPAL RECYCLING
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, recycling – including composting – diverted 82 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2006. Land and Lakes Disposal provides recycling services to more than 25,000 homeowners in the metropolitan Chicago area. Recyclable materials are brought to our facilities where recyclable materials are recovered and prepared for secondary markets and reuse. Land and Lakes Company continually researches new and improved equipment and services, invests in best practices and educates its customers on the forefront of residential recycling. To learn more about the impacts of recycling on the environment, click here >> |
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COMMERCIAL RECYCLING
Land and Lakes provides recycling services to commercial customers within the City of Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Ranging from small retail stores to larger restaurants and institutions, Land and Lakes collects recyclable materials such as cardboard, paper, plastics, wood, aluminum and steel from customer locations. These materials are transported to facilities where these recyclable materials are recovered or prepared for secondary markets and reuse. Different programs are available to meet the various needs of our customers. For more information regarding these services, contact one of our account representatives at 708-720-5100. To learn more about the impacts of recycling on the environment, click here >> |
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ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
For more than ten years, Land and Lakes Company has reclaimed methane, a natural occurring gas, emitted from decomposing waste at Land and Lakes Company’s municipal solid waste landfill sites. The methane is combusted to produce electricity which is then added to the ComEd grid. Methane recovery generates energy from a renewable source and eliminates a particularly potent greenhouse gas from entering the environment. The energy provided by Land and Lakes Company’s landfills supplies more than 52,000 households with electricity each year. |
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RIVER BEND PRAIRIE BIOREACTOR LANDFILL
Adjacent to the 80-acre River Bend Prairie Landfill Facility, a 10-acre expansion was recently completed as a cutting-edge bioreactor landfill. As the first firm to receive a bioreactor permit in Illinois, Land and Lakes remains a leader in environmental innovation. Recirculation of leachate in the bioreactor landfill leads to a 25% gain in the life of the landfill, thus preserving existing resources and reducing transportation costs to remote greenfield landfills. Another environmental advantage of a bioreactor landfill is increased methane recovery and therefore, alternative energy. |
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RECOVERY OF PROCESS HEAT
Land and Lakes Company requires an oil recovery program at its vehicle maintenance facilities. Waste oil removed from the company’s vehicles is stored on-site and used to heat shop facilities. At River Bend Prairie, the oil recovered is the ONLY source of heat needed for the entire maintenance facility. |
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RIVER BEND PRAIRIE RECYCLING AND TRANSFER FACILITY
River Bend Prairie Recycling and Transfer Facility is located adjacent to the River Bend Prairie Landfill, the closest landfill to the City of Chicago. The 10-acre facility has both rail and barge access. River Bend Prairie processes and recovers thousands of tons of corrugated cardboard, paper, household plastics, wood, aluminum and steel that would otherwise be sent to a landfill. This presorting of materials prior to landfill disposal saves valuable resources for reuse. Recovered items are sent to secondary markets. For more information regarding services offered at this facility, contact one of our account |
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PRAIRIE LAKES RECYCLING AND TRANSFER FACILITY
Prairie Lakes Recycling and Transfer Facility in Matteson, Illinois is located on a 20-acre site and incorporates a 30,000-square-foot tipping floor. As part of the development plan for this site, Land and Lakes contributed 80 acres of land immediate adjacent to its facility as a preserve for the watershed of Butterfield Creek. This buffer zone preserves and protects a vital portion of the Butterfield Creek ecosystem. Materials accepted at Prairie Lakes include municipal solid waste, construction and demolition debris, recyclables, landscape waste and bulk items. Prairie Lakes processes and recovers thousands of tons of corrugated cardboard, paper, household plastics, wood, aluminum and steel. These recovered items are sent to secondary markets for reuse. Conveniently located with easy access to I-57 and I-80, Prairie Lakes offers a convenient waste transfer and recycling site for South/Southwest Cook, Will and Kankakee counties. For more information regarding services offered at this facility, contact one of our account |
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BARGING
Land and Lakes Company seeks opportunities to reduce its carbon footprint. The River Bend Prairie site on the Little Calumet River features a 1,500 linear foot seawall and dock. This location is ideal for barging materials and in the process, reducing the company’s carbon footprint. During the construction of the River Bend Prairie Bioreactor Landfill, 22,400 tons of construction materials were shipped to the site via barge. This method of shipment eliminated 1,019 trucks from the roads and reduced carbon emissions substantially. Land and Lakes has implemented barge delivery of its landscape waste and compost facility products which further reduces emissions. |
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