Hi-Rise Recycling

Apartment buildings have for the most part been left out of residential recycling programs because of the difficulty of getting residents to haul recyclables to a storage area by hand. As recycling requirements are adopted by more and more municipalities, however, architects and building owners find themselves forced to deal with the problem. A common solu­tion is to set up separation rooms on each floor that are serviced by maintenance personnel. The labor costs, space requirements, and fire and health code complications make this solution less than ideal. A new invention by Mark Shantzis, CEO of Hi-Rise Recycling Systems, Inc., offers an alternative solution.

The Hi-Rise Recycling System takes up no more room than a standard disposal chute and is almost as easy to use. The system involves electronic control panels that are installed next to the disposal chutes on each floor. Occupants push a button identifying the type of waste they are sending down (up to six categories can be used). They then wait ten seconds while a lazy Susan in the basement rotates, moving the appropriate bin into place under the chute. When it’s ready, the machine emits a beep and releases the door, allowing disposal of the garbage or recyclables. A separate light on the control panel informs users if the system is in use by someone on another floor.