Easiway Systems Ramps Up Green Initiatives

Delano, Minnesota-based Easiway Systems, makers of screen printing chemicals and equipment, steps up its green initiatives at company headquarters. Efforts range from composting to recycling, as well as rainwater conservation.

“Most people assume chemical and manufacturing industries are environmentally dirty-but we are proving that this assumption isn’t true,” says Taylor Loeber, environmental sustainability coordinator at the company. “At Easiway Systems, we are stepping up our ‘green’ game simply because we care.”

Since joining the company in 2018, Loeber has been spearheading sustainability initiatives. To reduce landfill waste, Loeber says Easiway has started a vermicomposting ecosystem. The system reduces landfill waste by an estimated 30%.

“What this means is 30% of our trash that would usually end up in landfills, instead is being put into a compost bin with worms,” explains Loeber. “These worms simply break down the organic material and create an ultra-rich composting by-product fertilizer.”

Trash composted in-house includes items like leftover produce, coffee pods, and any leftover food from the office. To improve the composting process, the office has switched all of its coffee pods to compostable brands.

In addition to composting food waste, the company recycles office paper with the vermicomposting system. The shredded paper goes into the system as a bedding for the worms.

“This bedding will ensure that there is proper oxygen flow in the composting bin, which is crucial for vermicomposting success,” says Loeber. “This paper will be consumed along with the leftover food by the worms and ultimately turned into fertilizer.”

That fertilizer, in turn, Loeber points out, goes into an office garden at company headquarters where the staff grows tomatoes, zucchini, onions, chives, cilantro, basil, and other fresh vegetables and herbs. The system also utilizes rainwater captured in barrels to water the garden.

“The fruits, vegetables, and herbs from our garden will come full circle back to our break room and onto our plates for employees, guests, (and visitors)” says Loeber. “Any extra food will be donated to a local shelter or recycled back into our own composting system.”

The new initiatives mark the latest steps at the company to push for eco-conscious and sustainable measures. In early 2019, Easiway began participation in the REACH compliance program, a system designed by the European Union to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals.