Earlier this week we visited el paso's recycling centre and a construction waste recycler. With both of the places it's apparent that the whole concept of waste is being challenged and particularly perceptions of the companies which deal with this area may be very outdated. Curbside recycling is relatively new to el paso but is highlighted as an example of sustainability practices when people say 'that won't work in el paso'.

Once again we saw the impacts of a city mandating LEED standards for buildings, as the standard gives points for proof of how the 'waste' from buildings being deconsructed is being recycled and also for the inclusion both local materials and recycled materials. The construction waste company GreenPaso (www.greenpaso.com) said they would not be in business without the LEED standard. They employ 25 people with the operation and have been in business for five years, moe 'green' jobs.

Their site was extremely well organised and clean, it is amazing how the processes separate the waste stream into useful products (they are also very picky about what they take), and how quickly the trucks delivering the materials can be in and out of the site. They focus mainly on wood (recycled into chips for playgrounds) and metal, but are moving into other areas such as recycled roof tiles. The business is also developing organically as buyers identify 'waste' products at the plants which they'd also like to take (such as plastic buckets) while they are buying other materials. One lucrative product is the oil products from the roof tiles. Black gold.