[This article was originally published in November 2021. It has been revised and expanded.]

We take the protection of our planet seriously here at Junk King. As the planet’s population grows, so does the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill.

In 2018 the total generation of municipal solid waste was 292.4 million tons, about 4.9 pounds per person per day. Of that amount, the EPA states that 50 percent was landfilled. 

At Junk King, we feel we can do better than that.

Why Recycling Is at the Heart of Junk King

We’re extremely passionate about doing what we can to lessen our impact on the planet, and so are our franchisees.

In fact, we regularly recycle up to 60 percent or more of all the junk we pick up every day, everywhere there's a Junk King franchise. Recycling and being a green junk removal operation is what inspired the founding of Junk King almost two decades ago.

Anyone with a truck can haul junk. And many do. But to make recycling the core of how we do things sets Junk King apart from the rest.

 Here are some of the reasons we believe recycling is far more than a catchy marketing gimmick:

• Recycling helps conserve limited natural resources.
• Recycling conserves fresh water up to 95 percent from the mining of raw materials and  the manufacturing process for many consumer products.
• Recycling helps prevent solid waste from ending up in our oceans, which is still a common disposal practice for numerous countries.
• Recycling significantly reduces the use of fossil fuel energy which contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Everything isn't Recyclable, Right?

No, it's not. But much more waste products and materials can be recycled than you might think.

As one source reported,

The EPA estimates that 75% of the American waste stream is recyclable, but we only recycle about 30% of it.

Most of our waste stream ends up in landfills, gets incinerated, or is shipped to other countries where it is supposedly "sorted and processed" for reuse.

Not only are most things recyclable, some of them should never see the inside of a landfill.

That's because some substances can be more harmful to the planet than others, including e-waste, or electronic waste.

E-waste contains toxic components that are dangerous to human health, including metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium,  barium, and lithium, not to mention polybrominated flame retardants. All of these have negative health effects on humans including brain, heart, liver, kidney and skeletal system damage.

Who'd have thought that your old electronic devices could be so toxic, right?

This is why, at Junk King, we’re proud to recycle all sorts of e-waste such as computers, monitors, printers, laptops, e-readers, copy machines, shredders, and old televisions.

Our services also extend to other appliances, furniture and mattresses, hot tubs, and refrigerators. Without us, a lot of these items might end up haphazardly dismantled and tossed on the curb with the rest of the week’s trash — we’re proud to find a way to give those items another life and keep as many materials as we can out of the landfill.

If you’re ready to make a positive difference for the environment and for yourself as a business owner, learn more about becoming a Junk King franchisee.

In the meantime, we’ll leave you with this reminder on how to soften your own impact on the environment.

• Reduce: The easiest way to lessen your impact on the planet is to lessen the amount of products you consume. Think twice before you hit the ‘buy now’ button for an online purchase — do you really need or want this item, or might you end up using it once and losing it in the junk drawer or tossing it in the trash?
  
• Reuse: Reusing things means you aren’t re-buying or adding your old items to the landfill. Reusing products could be as simple as switching to a reusable water bottle so you aren’t tossing a few single-use plastic ones in the bin every day, sending clothes that no longer fit your children to the thrift store (or a younger cousin or sibling!), or buying high-quality clothing instead of falling into fast fashion so you aren’t tossing cheap clothes after only a few uses.
  
• Recycle: When all else fails, recycle! Many of us recycle what we can, but it’s important to know what can actually be recycled in your town — it can vary drastically! There are a lot of resources out there to figure out what your town recycles and avoid contaminating a batch of recycling.

A Junk King Franchise Can Be the Right Opportunity for You

Have you been thinking about starting your own business? You're not alone.

According to the Economic Innovation Group, a record 5.4 million applications were filed to form new businesses in 2021 based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Business Formation Statistics.

But starting a business on your own is a risky business. Many experts estimate that about 90 percent of startups fail eventually, with 10 percent of startups failing within the first year. 

However, as Investopedia notes, if you are detail-oriented, good at following directions, and comfortable with established systems, franchising provides a quick and easy way to become a business owner.

And a Junk King franchise ranks among the best!

Would you like to be a part of a team that believes in you and will support your future success as a business owner? Junk King is looking for people who are excited about joining a dynamic team that is committed to serving its franchise partners, their customers, their communities and the planet.

Junk King offers a tremendous start-up and ongoing support network including a national call center and proprietary Junkware software. In addition, we provide mobile invoicing, a turnkey marketing program, and personalized support in operations, finance, and business development.

Learn more about starting a Junk King franchise - you can do this!