Company News

How Republic Services’ Acquisition of US Ecology Impacts Customers’ ESG Performance

elizabeth.green — Wed, 25 May 2022 16:45:49 +0000

How Republic Services’ Acquisition of US Ecology Impacts Customers’ ESG Performance elizabeth.green Wed, 05/25/2022 - 11:45

May 25, 2022

Company News

US Ecology has over 70 years of experience paving the way for sustainable solutions that meet the ever-evolving environmental needs of our customers. From secure disposal solutions for hazardous, non-hazardous and radioactive waste, innovative treatment, recycling, industrial, field and emergency response services, to investing in the most advanced technologies in the market to help achieve regulatory compliance, we have been steadfast in our commitment to partnering with our customers for a better tomorrow.

Republic Services’ acquisition of US Ecology only further cements our combined focus on driving sustainability, both internally, and externally for our customers, to better protect the world in which we live, work and play. Now, as the industry leader in environmental, recycling and waste solutions, we are more committed than ever to provide solutions that create a more sustainable world.

US Ecology securely disposed of, or managed, 4.6 billion pounds of hazardous waste on behalf of our industrial, commercial and government customers in 2020. Republic processed more than 2.15 billion pounds of food and yard waste on behalf of residential and government customers. Combined, we ensured almost 7 billion pounds of waste generated by our customers was removed from negatively impacting human health and the environment.

We have also increased the total amount of recyclable materials that moved away from landfills and are instead recirculated back into the economy for future reuse, including aerosol cans, plastics, glass, metals, glycols, electronics, bulbs and batteries, paper and cardboard, organics and more. Our combined strength in now securely handling both hazardous and nonhazardous waste, along with everyday trash, makes us the leading single-source provider for all your environmental needs.

While our goal is to provide sustainable solutions to meet the growing demands our customers face every day, we know sustainability starts at home. As a combined company with one of the largest geographic footprints of landfills and service centers in North America, along with an expansive transportation fleet and nearly 40,000 employees, internal sustainability initiatives are just as important as the solutions we offer to our customers.

Republic Services and US Ecology together remain focused on landfill and fleet innovations, renewable energy production, and advanced recycling technologies. With a goal to reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030, you can feel confident you're making a positive impact on the planet by partnering with us. We also are committed to increasing recovery and circularity of key materials by 40% and increasing beneficial reuse of biogas by 50% by 2030.

As a combined company we remain devoted to using our strengthened industry leadership to better protect our Blue Planet. We look forward to the future and partnering with our customers to help you increase your ESG performance and create a more sustainable world.

Learn more about Republic Services.

US Ecology wins 2020 EBJ Business Achievement Award for COVID-19 Decontamination Efforts

natalie.watkins — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 18:31:01 +0000

US Ecology wins 2020 EBJ Business Achievement Award for COVID-19 Decontamination Efforts natalie.watkins Mon, 01/25/2021 - 12:31

January 25, 2021

Company News

US Ecology wins 2020 EBJ Business Achievement Award for COVID-19 Decontamination Efforts

Environmental Business Journal (EBJ has awarded US Ecology for contributions to COVID-19 decontamination response efforts across the nation. EBJ produces strategic market communication on evolving opportunities in the Environmental Industry.

US Ecology’s Achievement Award was listed in the category of “Covid Response Decontamination Services”. EBJ states, “US Ecology (Boise, ID) for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering decontamination services to customers just four months after merging with NRC Group in November 2019. The merger strengthened US Ecology’s service offerings by integrating complementary solutions, including NRC’s 24/7 emergency response capabilities. This allowed the company to mobilize biohazardous response teams across the United States and Canada, deploying a Safe Operations Program to protect companies and their staff from the virus. From performing the country’s first decontamination response in Washington to thousands of others, the company has successfully executed vital decontamination and preventative cleaning services at a variety of sensitive, complex, and high-profile sites, and continues to be a leading trusted partner for customers across industrial, retail, education, medical, health care and government industry segments. The merger also substantially grew company revenue and global footprint.” Read the article here.

US Ecology, Inc. (NASDAQ-GS: ECOL) is a leading provider of environmental services to commercial and government entities. The company addresses the complex waste management and response needs of its customers offering treatment, disposal and recycling of hazardous, non-hazardous and radioactive waste, leading emergency response and standby services, and a wide range of complementary field and industrial services.

Learn more about US Ecology’s decontamination services or the other industry leading environmental services that are provided.

The World Shifted to Digital: So Have Retail Back-of-Store Compliance Audits

natalie.watkins — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 20:17:23 +0000

The World Shifted to Digital: So Have Retail Back-of-Store Compliance Audits natalie.watkins Mon, 01/04/2021 - 14:17

January 4, 2021

Company News

Surprise visits from a compliance auditor with a Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) or other governing regulatory agency to a retailer’s back of store were a standard part of operating in 2019. 2020, as we know, was a whole different story.

As the pandemic forced the world inside to avoid contracting COVID-19 and adjusted to the new normal of virtual meetings, it was no surprise that on-site, back-of-store inspections from regulatory compliance agencies had to decrease or stop altogether based on state emergency guidelines. Instead, auditors shifted to a digital approach, requesting paperwork from retailers to accurately share their hazardous and universal waste management reporting as a way to still enforce compliance from afar. And as all retailers know, paperwork detailing all waste can be a nightmare to manage without a partnership with a trusted environmental solutions provider.

US Ecology’s Customer Online Resource (COR) is an online database accessible to our enrolled customers. It is the industry's leading online application that allows our customers the ability to manage their industrial services and environmental waste needs through comprehensive and interactive dashboards. Our COR platform is a difference maker in the waste industry and enables customers to more efficiently and effectively manage accounts and easily meet the increase in demand for digital audits from CUPAS in 2020.

COR allows our customers to designate registered users to have access to their company’s waste data - at a single store, statewide or comprehensive nationwide level. When logged in, customers can choose to run a “Waste Summary Report”. With just a few keystrokes and filters adjusted, they can generate a report at any hour of the day to share with the inquiring auditor.

While many reports exist that slice and dice all data to meet our customers’ unique needs, the “Waste Summary Report” is an industry standard, offering the following fields of data:

Service date
Disposal facility information
Site code/store number
Transporter information
Generator information including site codes/store number
Waste codes
Filterable on hazardous vs. nonhazardous waste
Manifest number
Approval codes and descriptions
Reportable quantity
EPA Management, Form and Source codes

With the ability to quickly pull this level of comprehensive data 24 hours a day, US Ecology’s customers can confidently respond to an auditor’s request, further proving they are operating safely and compliantly with the help of US Ecology’s Retail Solutions.

Dedicated retail customer support teams are also available to provide further clarification on any data found in COR’s reports and can answer any follow-up questions an auditor may have. Having the confidence of an accurate, industry-leading reporting tool like COR at their fingertips helps many retailers sleep at night knowing their compliance is maintained and waste safely handled by professionals with over 65 years of experience.

To learn more about US Ecology’s Retail Solutions, or to request a demo of our industry-leading COR platform, please contact Jeff Scott, Director of Retail at jeff.scott@usecology.com or by calling (800) 592-5489.

Ethanol Recovery Solutions for High Volume Retail Waste in the Era of COVID-19

natalie.watkins — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 19:40:14 +0000

Ethanol Recovery Solutions for High Volume Retail Waste in the Era of COVID-19 natalie.watkins Mon, 01/04/2021 - 13:40

January 4, 2021

Company News

Retailers are experiencing unprecedented shopping habits in light of the pandemic, with a dramatic shift and even greater reliance on online shopping. Despite delivery direct to home, the need to return unwanted, damaged or mislabeled items in the store for a refund remains an all-time high. As per guidelines on federal, state and local levels, many of these items cannot be restocked or resold, and instead must be disposed of compliantly. And since many stores are accepting returned items that were never inventoried at their physical location in the first place, they are facing an increase in RCRA waste volume not previously seen with pre-pandemic shopping habits.

Of all the trending 2020 waste returned to retailers for disposal, perfume, alcohol and hand sanitizer prove to be most challenging given their product and packaging weight and chemical composition. Luckily, US Ecology has an innovative solution in place to help retailers compliantly manage these challenging and increasingly common items: ethanol recovery.

Despite having provided ethanol recovery solutions to all our customer segments for over a decade, retailers specifically have greatly benefited from this alternative solution to disposal in 2020. The process first starts by identifying and segregating products with ethanol from other RCRA hazardous waste in the store. Then the products can be listed on a bill-of-lading for reclamation rather than on a hazardous waste manifest. By doing this, high volumes of heavy wastes are excluded from solid waste and RCRA regulations, thus reducing a customer’s overall generator status. This benefits the customer and enables them to avoid additional complicated regulatory guidelines and paperwork, or an increase in scrutiny and possible fines or fees.

The ethanol recovery process employed by US Ecology allows for the consolidation of waste from multiple retail store locations at our TSDFs, increasing the bulk waste volume and offering greater rates for recovery. The bulk product then moves through a process to separate the liquid product from the packaging. A distillation process ultimately produces ethanol purified to a level available for reuse by manufacturers across the country.

Multiple national retail chains taking advantage of US Ecology’s ethanol recovery program experience a reduction of waste. One large national retailer removed of an average 130 pounds of waste, per store, per retail waste pick-up, for alcohol or perfume. This resulted in at least a half million pounds removed annually from their RCRA waste generator status.

For customers that chose to explore manufacturing hand sanitizer in-house to help combat COVID-19, many initial high-volume batches of ethanol-based product were not approved by regulatory agencies to be proven to help kill the virus, or were mislabeled, and therefore were not approved for public sale. Given the chemical composition, these failed batches of hand sanitizer needed to be safely disposed of to protect human health and the environment. One retailer alone was able to take advantage of US Ecology’s ethanol recovery program and removed over 75,000 pounds of waste from their generator status in approximately six months.

Like many of US Ecology’s innovative waste solutions for retailers, the ethanol recovery process can be customized to fit a customer’s unique needs. To learn more about ethanol recovery, or to learn how our Retail Solutions can help you more safely and compliantly manage your waste, contact US Ecology at marketing@usecology.com or by calling (800) 592-5489.

Meet the Team: Jason Potts – Emergency Response Manager

natalie.watkins — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 03:22:00 +0000

Meet the Team: Jason Potts – Emergency Response Manager natalie.watkins Mon, 10/19/2020 - 22:22

October 19, 2020

Company News

As Emergency Response (ER) Manager for US Ecology’s Western Region, Jason Potts is responsible for all emergency operations throughout the western region of the United States including Washington, Oregon, California and Alaska. In this role, Jason oversees and is heavily involved in all related training programs, writing and reviewing standard operating guidelines and procedures, as well as the allocation of emergency response resources throughout the region. He is also a member of our Special Operations Division, a branch of highly trained and credentialed personnel that specialize in highly hazardous and volatile emergency response services. SRS became part of the US Ecology family through the merger with NRC Group in 2019. Click here to learn more about SRS

After serving our country in the Marine Corp, Jason began his career in emergency response (ER) in 1999 when he joined the company as a hazardous materials response manager and training instructor based out of our Seattle service center. Over the past 21 years, he has completed thousands of response actions involving virtually all types of hazardous materials and scenarios for US Ecology’s customers including public entities and the rail, highway transportation, marine and oil/chemical manufacturing industries. These responses have involved transportation accidents, railroad derailments, industrial fires, tanker truck rollovers and fires, bio-hazardous incidents and many other types of hazardous events.

Jason maintains a long list of specialized certifications including, but not limited to, HAZMAT Response and Incident Commander, ICS Levels 100-800, Explosive Response, Advanced Railroad Tank Car Specialist, Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare, Confined Space Entry and Rescue, Chlorine Institute CHLOREP and Fire Bureau Hazardous Materials training.

In support of US Ecology’s position as industry leader, Jason applies his expertise and experience from the field to successfully implement and continuously improve our response capabilities and is respected throughout our organization as a Subject Matter Expert for ER services. In recent times, Jason became a crucial resource for customers and our internal operations related to the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) pandemic. As an integral member of COVID-19 focus groups and task force teams, Jason was responsible for planning and developing guidelines and operational response procedures for decontamination projects across the country.

Learn more about US Ecology’s COVID-19 Decontamination and Disposal Services.

A Message from our CEO Regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19)

BILL_L — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 20:02:44 +0000

A Message from our CEO Regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) BILL_L Tue, 03/17/2020 - 15:02

March 18, 2020

Company News

A Message from our CEO Regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19)

March 18, 2020

US Ecology is working diligently to ensure uninterrupted services for our customers during the current COVID-19 crisis. We have implemented detailed plans and protocols at all company locations to mitigate the spread of the virus and protect our team members, customers and the communities we serve. Ensuring safety and protecting public health are core to our business and we have over 65 years of experience doing just that.

We have taken several actions during the past two weeks in the following areas:

Implemented new health and hygiene protocols for all team members
Requiring certain employees work from home based on job function
Added decontamination procedures for tools, trucks, common areas, etc.
Restricted all non-essential travel
Instituted specific protocols for drivers and field personnel performing service stops at customer sites
Purchased no-contact thermometers, additional protective equipment and supplies for all locations
Defined self-quarantine requirements
Restricted visitation to our facilities and offices

We have established a COVID-19 Task Force that meets daily to review all aspects of the situation including team member health and safety, evolving regulatory orders and other items. We are closely monitoring daily changes and will take further steps as necessary.

As a leader in providing Emergency Response services, US Ecology is currently providing COVID-19 decontamination and disposal services for customers across the country. We maintain expert emergency response staff that are highly trained to manage decontamination events and we stand ready to support you. Please contact our Emergency Response team at (800) 899-4672 for more information.

Please contact your Account Representative if you would like more details on the steps US Ecology is taking to maintain services while doing our part to protect team members and customers.

There are also several helpful resources publicly available providing key information and the latest advice from professionals. These include:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
World Health Organization (WHO)- https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
National Institutes of Health (NIH)- https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus
Your state and local government websites are also sources for information.

US Ecology is doing everything within our power to keep our team members, customers and communities safe. We remain focused on safety, environmental compliance and best-in-class customer service.

Sincerely,

Jeff Feeler
President and CEO

National Drugstore Chain Partners with US Ecology to Pilot Hazardous Waste Program; Reduces Generator Status and Achieves National Compliance

natalie.watkins — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 15:13:39 +0000

National Drugstore Chain Partners with US Ecology to Pilot Hazardous Waste Program; Reduces Generator Status and Achieves National Compliance natalie.watkins Mon, 08/26/2019 - 10:13

July 1, 2019

Company News

Background

With no previous programs established to regulate the management of hazardous waste, a national drugstore chain was at a loss on how to tackle the challenges of setting up a national program to achieve hazardous waste compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And while this drugstore was new to compliance regulations, US Ecology was not. This drugstore chose to partner with US Ecology for our expertise in hazardous waste management and achieved compliance, and has enjoyed peace of mind throughout its 23 state footprint for the past six years.

Problem

Hazardous and non-hazardous waste regulations established by the EPA are complicated. Layer in additional treatment and disposal regulations for pharmaceutical drugs from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as well as intricate state-specific rules, and suddenly the task of creating a national compliance program from scratch seems impossible. That’s how one national drugstore chain felt. For years, they managed to get by without any uniform program in place. But, as State regulators and EPA continued to crack down and fine other retailers within the industry for non-compliance, they knew they had to act.

Solutions

After a rigorous request for proposal evaluation, US Ecology was awarded the opportunity to pilot a compliance program in one state for the drugstore. Within a few short months, the program was successfully implemented in retail stores and distribution centers. The US Ecology customer service team helped assemble and distribute custom waste storage kits for each location; one for the back of the store, and one for inside each pharmacy. Initial trainings were performed by US Ecology certified technicians, until the drugstore’s managers were confident enough to continue on with internal trainings as needed.

The customized program built for the drugstore’s compliance success also included unique paperwork processes. Technological safeguards were added to US Ecology’s mobile information management system, and served as a double check against anticipated waste totals. If a store failed to produce waste in either their back of store or pharmacy area, the technology would alert the manager or pharmacist of potential mismanagement or disposal of hazardous or pharmaceutical waste within the store. This allowed the national chain to easily identify potential noncompliant personnel and rectify the problem resuming their goal of protecting both human health and the environment from improperly disposed of waste.

The success of the one-state pilot program was impressive. The drugstore saw significant cost savings, achieved state-wide compliance, as well as a peace of mind from the customized solutions US Ecology had put in place. They chose to expand the program over time to an additional 22 states.

As US Ecology rolled out compliance solutions from one state to the next, the dedicated customer service professionals continued to customize and strive for continuous improvement on solutions we offered the retailer. The environmental professionals at US Ecology dedicated to the account pushed to develop newer, better ways for the drugstore to manage its waste.

An example of innovation to better service the drugstore chain came from US Ecology’s technical services team. Due to the potentially dangerous nature of a product, the team developed a custom process to dismantle battery operated lighters at the time of service. By identifying a safe way to remove lithium batteries from the cartridge, US Ecology trained technicians were able to segregate the waste for disposal or recycling, reducing stores’ generator status and overall costs each month. This process was also able to be kept separate from standard services, so a single invoice could be generated for only this process. This allowed the retailer to easily pass on the cost, incurred from the inadequate product, to the manufacturer or designated 3rd party.

US Ecology also assisted in the reduction of lab pack fees associated with removal of pharmaceutical compounding chemicals without NDC codes. By developing an identification list, the technicians servicing the stores were able to profile and remove the chemicals during routine services rather than requiring a separate lab pack pick-up. US Ecology also helped reduce the drugstore’s generator status by providing more sustainable options to recycle nicotine and ethyl alcohol in states that permitted it, resulting in significant cost savings for the retailer.

Results

Once the entire chain was implemented, US Ecology serviced over 3,700 locations, with almost 15,000 annual pick-ups performed. During that time, the experienced technicians for US Ecology reported an on-time rate of 99%, and the drugstore’s corporate ESH team gave US Ecology a customer satisfaction rate exceeding 95%.

From day one, US Ecology made sure to deliver exceptional value and uncompromised compliance in every service performed for the retailer. We are honored to know the national chain chose to put their trust in our 65 years of experience delivering environmental solutions, and are proud to continue to help our partner to become more sustainable, reduce overall costs, and achieve peace of mind and compliance nationally.

Learn More

Do you need to implement a compliance program, but are unsure where to begin? Partnering with US Ecology as a single source for all hazardous and non-hazardous waste management solutions can help maximize company efficiencies, and result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings annually. Contact Vince Scheerer, Vice President of Business Development – National Programs, at vince.scheerer@usecology.com or (800) 592-5489 to learn how easy it is to establish or optimize your environmental compliance program today.

US Ecology Names to Fortune’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies

natalie.watkins — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 19:22:21 +0000

US Ecology Names to Fortune’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies natalie.watkins Thu, 08/08/2019 - 14:22

August 1, 2015

Company News

US Ecology, Inc. a premier provider of environmental services across North America, announced that it has been named to the 2015 Fortune magazine list of the 100 Fastest-Growing Public Companies, ranking 60th. Fortune magazine noted the Company’s strong financial performance over the past three years, with a three-year annual EPS growth rate of 18%, three-year revenue growth of 41% and an annual total return of 43%.

“US Ecology is pleased to be recognized by Fortune magazine for a record of financial performance that ranks us among the most successful public companies,” said Jeff Feeler, President and CEO, US Ecology. “Our strong dedication to providing quality customer service, swift execution, transformative entrepreneurialism, and a strong and consistent business model are all key factors driving the growth of the company. Safety and compliance is also a top priority, enabling us to provide unequaled service with solutions you can trust.”

Brie Cischke Celebrates 15 Years with US Ecology

natalie.watkins — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 18:46:02 +0000

Brie Cischke Celebrates 15 Years with US Ecology natalie.watkins Thu, 08/08/2019 - 13:46

March 1, 2018

Company News

Unequaled Service is more than just our motto. It is a standard that all US Ecology team members are held accountable to in every aspect of their day. One US Ecology Team Member celebrating 15 years with the company exudes this principle with every customer. We are proud to recognize Brie Cischke, Process Analyst.

As a Process Analyst, Brie works on various projects ranging from training Customer Service and Retail Department team members to establishing and implementing standard operating procedures. Brie also focuses on reviewing and testing the customized US Ecology Customer Online Resource portal and strategizes future system enhancements to optimize real-time data tracking and reporting.

What does this mean for you? Through it all, Brie never loses sight of how to better improve the integration process a customer goes through when choosing to partner with US Ecology for hazardous waste management solutions. This dedication has led to an implementation process that is thorough, calculated, and painless for our clients.

Brie previously served as a National Account Specialist, servicing US Ecology’s first national retail customer in 2006. She helped developed the categorization process for retail waste streams, and provided technical training to the customer’s store associates. Many of the initial hazardous waste management solutions developed to help retailers achieve RCRA compliance in 2006 are still in place today, thanks to Brie’s dedication and commitment to uncompromised compliance and continuous improvement in all aspects of hazardous waste program management.

Prior to joining US Ecology, Brie graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Studies and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Organizational Communication.

As Brie celebrates 15 years of Unequaled Service with US Ecology, we’d like to take a moment to thank her for her dedication and commitment to helping US Ecology become the premier provider of comprehensive environmental services.

US Ecology Opens New Houston 10-Day Storage Center

natalie.watkins — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 18:39:07 +0000

US Ecology Opens New Houston 10-Day Storage Center natalie.watkins Thu, 08/08/2019 - 13:39

October 1, 2018

Company News

US Ecology Houston is a 10-day storage and transfer facility that is a vital part of US Ecology’s ongoing effort to provide premier environmental services to customers in the Gulf Coast region.

Aimed at reducing customers' cost and liability, the turnkey solutions offered by this new location are less-than-truckload (LTL), full truckload (FTL), flatbed, rolloff rental, and bulk transportation services. These services nicely complement the services already offered at the US Ecology Texas (Robstown) facility - thermal recycling, equipment cleaning, and hazardous waste treatment and disposal. US Ecology Houston will also offer various field services for regional customers including site remediation and emergency response services.