Oakleaf Forms Zero Waste-to-Landfill Team

Date: May 19, 2009

Source: OAKLEAF

OAKLEAF Announces Formation of Zero Waste Team

  • New Team Makes Zero Waste to Landfill an Attainable Goal for U.S. Businesses

OAKLEAF, the nation's leading provider of waste recycling services, has announced the formation of the Zero Waste Team, the nation's first organization focused on creating national strategies to help industries build workable zero waste-to-landfill solutions. Led by Stephen Caruso, Senior Vice President of Vendor Relations and Procurement at OAKLEAF, the Zero Waste Team will work with individual businesses to create a solution that is right for their company and their industry.

OAKLEAF recognizes that all waste stream solutions must be operationally and economically feasible for businesses, and the Zero Waste Team will design and roll out programs over existing and emerging infrastructure with a goal of zero waste to landfill. The confluence of OAKLEAF waste, recycling and sustainability expertise with vendors providing services including recycling, composting, and even food donation provides the critical mass needed to realize zero waste goals.

OAKLEAF has brought together experts in diversion, recycling and science from its leadership in East Hartford, Connecticut with subsidiaries IEM and WasteLess Environmental Services to provide the appropriate mix of experience and service needed by their clients. The Zero Waste Team operates nationwide under the leadership of Caruso, who brings 25 years of experience in waste recycling and related industries. Team members include Peter Klaich, Vice President of Sustainability and Waste Reduction, IEM; David Servies, Director of Resource Management at OAKLEAF; Dave Roberts, Business Development Manager for WasteLess Environmental Services; and Steven Fass Director of Resource Management at OAKLEAF. Klaich brings to the group exceptional expertise and leadership in organic diversion and the commercialization of biodegradable products. He is currently a board member of the U.S. Composting Council. Servies is a sustainability expert who developed novel organic waste processes to divert grocery organic waste from landfills for one of the world's largest retailers. Roberts has worked in many aspects of organic recovery initiatives, grass roots development and all facets of collection and compost processing. Fass has more than 20 years experience in multidisciplinary environmental management programs.

About OAKLEAF

OAKLEAF, founded in 1995, is a leader in providing sustainable waste logistics and recycling solutions for a broad base of multi-location retail, restaurant, hotel, manufacturing, property management and mall clients including Sears/Kmart, General Electric, United Technologies, Camden Property Trust, CVS, P.F. Chang's and many more. As the most rapidly growing waste outsourcing company in the nation with operations throughout the United States and Canada, an employee base of more than 750 employees, and a nationwide network of over 5,000 certified haulers, recyclers, and waste diversion experts, OAKLEAF provides services to over 100,000 locations throughout North America. OAKLEAF is backed by New Mountain Capital which provides significant financial and strategic resources to help continue OAKLEAF's strong growth and superior service to its customers. OAKLEAF has been recognized twelve times since 2001 by Inc. Magazine, including being named five times to the Inc. 500 List (now the Inc. 5000 List) and being recognized seven times by ICIC, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City. Subsidiary operations include Valet Waste (doorstep trash pickup for multifamily communities), IEM (mall and shopping center services), WasteLess Environmental Services (waste logistics solutions for Canadian companies), and Greenleaf Compaction (equipment rentals, leasing and maintenance). OAKLEAF is also the exclusive provider of dumpster services for The Home Depot Dumpster Rentals. For more information on OAKLEAF, please visit www.oakleafwaste.com.

About New Mountain Capital

New Mountain Capital is a New York-based private equity firm investing for long-term capital appreciation through direct investment in growth equity transactions, leveraged acquisitions and management buyouts. The firm manages private equity and public equity capital with aggregate assets under management totaling more than $8.5 billion. New Mountain seeks out the highest-quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors, and then works intensively with management to build the value of these companies. For more information on New Mountain Capital, please visit www.newmountaincapital.com.

Sign up to receive our free Weekly News Bulletin