Industrial recycling and recovery are critical components of a modern, sustainable economy. Every year, U.S. industries generate nearly 8 billion tons of industrial solid waste—a figure that dwarfs municipal waste streams many times over.

Industrial byproducts are secondary materials generated from manufacturing, agricultural, and commercial processes that can be transformed from waste into valuable resources. This comprehensive guide covers what industrial byproducts are, how to manage them in accordance with regulatory requirements, and proven strategies to maximize their economic and environmental value for your facility.

Industrial materials recycling involves the reprocessing of waste from manufacturing operations—like metal scraps, baghouse dusts, and foundry sand—to conserve resources and minimize environmental impact.

Industrial recycling plays a pivotal role in modern manufacturing, helping facilities reduce waste, lower costs, and promote environmental sustainability. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), industrial recycling programs have helped divert over 75 million tons of materials from landfills annually in the United States alone.

In psychology, one of the most powerful but overlooked concepts is functional fixedness—the tendency to see objects only in terms of their traditional use. It’s a cognitive bias that keeps us locked into narrow patterns of thinking, preventing us from seeing creative solutions that may be right in front of us.

Slag is one of the world’s oldest and most widespread industrial byproducts. Formed during the smelting or refining of metals, it has been both a challenge and an opportunity for industries for thousands of years. Today, slag recycling offers manufacturers, steelmakers, and foundries a chance to reduce waste, recover value, and support sustainable growth.

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber has become one of the most widely used synthetic elastomers in the world. Known for its durability, weather resistance, and versatility, EPDM is everywhere—from roofing membranes to automotive seals.

When companies think about waste, they often picture costly disposal and complex regulations. But what if that same material could become a resource instead of a liability?

That’s the promise of beneficial reuse…

Corrugated plastic, commonly known under trade names such as Coroplast, Correx, or Polyflute, really emerged in the 1990s as a lightweight, durable alternative to corrugated fiberboard (Coroplast).

When manufacturers and warehouse operators search for “industrial recycling near me,” they’re usually facing an urgent need: reduce landfill costs, improve sustainability metrics, or find a home for a difficult waste stream.

When most people think of recycling, they imagine cardboard, aluminum cans, or maybe the occasional pallet. But in the industrial world, waste comes in many unexpected forms—and more of it is recyclable than you might think.

Industrial recycling isn't just a trend or a checkbox on a sustainability report. It's a practical, cost-saving, and strategic approach to managing waste streams in manufacturing and distribution environments.

Sustainability has become a popular buzzword across industries, but when it comes to waste management, what does it actually mean for a company to manage its waste sustainably?

According to the Recycling Partnership’s 2020 State of Curbside Recycling Report, the average U.S. household generates 768 pounds of recyclable waste per year.

Industrial parks are hubs of production, distribution, and logistics—each tenant operating as a distinct business but often facing the same challenges when it comes to waste and recycling. One of the most overlooked opportunities for these businesses is collaborative waste management.

When it comes to evaluating your company’s waste stream for recycling or reuse, the first step is always the same—data gathering.

When companies explore baling as a solution for managing industrial waste or recyclable materials, one of the most important questions they face is: How much labor does it actually take to make a bale?

In psychology and behavioral economics, the term “bounded awareness” refers to the phenomenon where individuals or organizations fail to notice critical information that’s available to them—often because their attention is overly focused elsewhere. It’s not about ignorance or incompetence. It’s about natural limits in human attention, perception, and mental bandwidth.

We talk to a lot of companies that aren’t sure whether they generate enough of a given material to justify investing in a baler. It’s a fair question—after all, every facility is watching its budget and floor space. But in many cases, it actually takes less material than most people think to make baling worthwhile.

The U.S. justice system is based on the principle of “innocent until proven guilty.” Waste Optima takes the same approach to industrial recycling in that any waste stream is recyclable (or reusable) until proven otherwise.