ABOUT CLCM
Container Life Cycle Management LLC (CLCM), which participates in the EarthMinded® Life Cycle Services network, acquired three facilities in Wisconsin — in Oak Creek, St. Francis and Milwaukee — in 2013. The Oak Creek and St. Francis facilities continue to operate under the trade name “Mid America.”
At these facilities, CLCM cleans and reconditions industrial packaging for reuse and recycling.
CLCM employees wash and recondition steel and plastic drums that are considered empty under environmental laws by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Although defined as empty, these drums may contain the residue of the raw materials previously stored and transported in them.
CLCM is a proud member of the Reusable Industrial Packaging Association (RIPA), the trade association which represents the industrial packaging business in North America. As a condition of membership, all RIPA members agree to conform to a strict “Code of Operating Practice,” which sets forth guiding principles for operations, packaging reuse and recycling. These guidelines are intended to improve the industry’s performance in the areas of regulatory compliance, environmental management, waste reduction and recycling. They may be found in full on the RIPA website, here.
Each of CLCM's Wisconsin facilities are highly regulated and inspected by federal and state authorities, including: the United States Department of Transportation, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, CLCM practices are routinely reviewed by its customers to ensure compliance with environmental and safety laws.
WHAT WE DO
EMPTY DRUMS ARRIVE AT THE FACILITY
All drums that enter CLCM facilities are required to be empty in accordance with federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act standards. It’s important to note that customers who send drums to our facilities work hard to completely empty the drums, because they paid for the raw materials they originally contained. Additionally, if CLCM receives a drum that isn’t empty, the facility rejects the drum, and requires customers arrange for transport back to their locations. Customers are also assessed a fee as a part of this process.
EMPTY DRUMS ARE RECONDITIONED
Once received and confirmed empty, drums are processed either through a drum reclamation furnace or an internal wash system – all processes vary by location. Please note that the St. Francis location does not burn drums. Waste generated from the aforementioned cleaning processes are disposed of by a licensed hauler at our Oak Creek and Milwaukee locations. In the case of St. Francis, wastewater is treated prior to being discharged to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District in accordance with our wastewater discharge permit, and other waste is disposed of by a licensed hauler. Finally, after the cleaning process is completed, additional steps, such as painting, are completed to prepare a reconditioned drum for sale.
RECONDITIONED DRUMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR RESALE
Reconditioning drums extends the life cycle of the containers and is a cost effective, environmentally friendly way to transport raw materials. Using reconditioned drums, as opposed to purchasing new ones, saves resources and reduces the amount of waste in landfills.
