Keeping it Green: Start an Antifreeze Recycling Business

Business Overview:

If you are looking for a truly unique green business, you should start an antifreeze recycling business. Antifreeze isn’t just used in automobiles; in fact, the automotive industry is just one on a long list of businesses that use antifreeze every day. Industries such as mining, logging, water industries (marine, ocean, river), oil exploration, construction and farming use antifreeze in massive quantities. Once antifreeze is used, there are only three options available for this waste coolant: pour it out (illegal), pay a licensed hazardous waste business to dispose of it (expensive), or recycle it. Obviously recycling this waste material is the best option. The antifreeze recycling business is one of the major untapped green business ideas out there today. We all know it’s important to recycle but to be able to do so with toxic chemicals is a giant leap forward in today’s green movement. You will need to seek out the proper equipment in order to properly recycle your customers’ waste antifreeze. You can find such equipment online. While the investment is not small, the return is virtually unlimited. Most recycling units can fit in the back of a pickup truck so you don’t even need a special vehicle to transport your equipment. The amount of money your business can make depends on how much coolant you recycle and how much you charge. As an example, you will probably recycle about 50 gallons of coolant at each stop. Working a full day, you can make about six stops a day equally 300 gallons. The cost to recycle one gallon of antifreeze is about 15-45 cents (USD). If you charge $2.50 USD per gallon, that’s $750 USD per day and over $180,000 USD per year. The best part of this business is it’s an easy sell. If you give a potential client the choice of dumping, paying someone to haul it off or recycling the waste, most of the time they will choose the environmentally friendly third option. Not only is this option best for the planet but government tax incentives are available for green businesses. As you can see, there is a huge opportunity available for the entrepreneur willing to make an investment that will turn into a sizeable contribution to the environmental movement.

A Day in the Life of an Antifreeze Recycling Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your schedule to see if you have any appointments that day. Once you have a few clients, you will be going back to those businesses on a regular basis. You will spend some time each day researching new businesses to market your services to. You will need to have a website set up so your clients can get a better understanding of your services and cost breakdown. If you have a staff driving the route(s) for you, you will coordinate with them throughout the day to make sure they’re making all their stops and that everything is running smoothly.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be businesses that use antifreeze in varying quantities that need recycling services.

What You Need to Start:

• Antifreeze recycling equipment
• Truck or other vehicle to transport equipment
• Driver (if not driving yourself)
• Website
• Marketing plan
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Demand for this business is high.
• Businesses get tax incentives for recycling.
• You can charge top dollar for these services.
• Once you are familiar with how to perform the recycling services, it’s a simple process.
• Once you are a well-established business, you can add additional trucks and equipment to your fleet.

The Bad:

• The startup investment is high.
• It can take some time to get your first few clients and turn a profit.

Resources:

• National Recycling Coalition
• Construction Materials Recycling Association
• Automotive Recyclers Association
• Wikipedia on Recycling

About The Author

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