Recycling With ATHC

ATHC partnered with the Recycling Association of Minnesota to develop the first of it's kind recycling program. The Program is called Message in the Bottle™. This service is provided free of charge to gas stations, car wash facilities and any place that people visit when they are out and about.

Recycling containers are placed at the participating locations and serve as a drop off point for cans and bottles. The program is offered in the cities of St. Cloud and Mankato as well as the counties of McLeod, Carver, Wright, Ramsey and Hennepin.

To date it has been a stunningly successful program. Follow this link for more information on the Message in a Bottle Program on the Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) website. 

Click here to sign up and participate in the Message in the Bottle™ recycling program.

Away from Home is another recycling program ATHC works with that allows us to collect shrink wrap and other materials from area businesses. The material is collected and bailed at our recycling facility then sold to a materials recovery facility. Learn more about shrink wrap recycling with ATHC by following this link.

Pick-Ups

• Free to businesses and organizations that provide 200 pounds or more of material per pick-up.
• Less than 200 pounds, pick-ups are only $6.00.
• Material may also be dropped off for free at our Hutchinson or Winsted locations if you prefer.

The following Materials are Acceptable for Plastic Recycling. Plastic Containers must be triple rinsed and thoroughly dry.

• Plastic Grocery Bags
• Plastic Produce Bags and Bread Bags with all food residue removed
• Plastic retail bags with strings ties and rigid handles
• Plastic Newspaper wrappers
• Plastic Dry Cleaning bags
• Plastic Wrap from shipping boxes
• Plastic Bags for Parts
• Plastic Film and Stretch Wrap
• Plastic Ziploc™ Bags
• Plastic strapping
• Plastic Bottles/Jugs/Containers

The Following Materials are not acceptable:

• Softener Salt Bags
• Bubble Wrap
• Soil or Mulch Bags
• Hoses
• Plastic Gas Cans
• Plastic Containers previously filled with caustic or flammable materials.

Recycling Creates Jobs

The Message in the Bottle and Away from Home Programs provide employment for about 20 individuals on a daily basis.

Current Message in the Bottle™ Partners include:

1. Recycling Association of Minnesota
2. Minnesota Beverage Association
3. Midwest Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
4. Viking Coca-Cola Bottling Company
5. Bernick's Beverages and Vending Co.
6. MN State Fair
7. The Pepsi Bottling Group
8. Waste Management
9. Carver County Environmental Services
10. American Chemistry Council
11. The Coca-Cola Company
12. PepsiCo
13. American Beverage Association
14. Minnesota Petroleum Association
15. MN Beer Wholesalers Association
16. Minnesota Grocers Association

Recycling Adds Jobs (Article)

A new program at Adult Training and Habilitation Center is cleaning up the environment, creating new jobs, and even making a little money. Read this article published in the Hutchinson Leader on February 8th of 2008.