This is a public event to inform and inspire entrepreneurs, business leaders and economic development partners. Jessi Just from the New Mexico Recycling Coalition (NMRC) will share ideas from around the state and answer questions about recycling/reuse related businesses.
In 2010, New Mexicans spent over $51 million dollars to bury over $168 million worth of recyclable items! Are you interested in capitalizing on this waste while reducing the amount of materials entering landfills in New Mexico? New Mexico Recycling Coalition’s (NMRC) “Growing Recycling Businesses in New Mexico” project is aimed at developing and supporting the growth of recycling-related businesses that manage or utilize locally generated recyclable materials.
NMRC received a $30,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant in September of 2014 from the USDA Rural Development Program to provide technical assistance and training events to assist small emerging and expanding private business enterprises in the recycling industry. Assistance will be provided to 14 rural target communities in New Mexico, including Raton, Angel Fire, Las Vegas. Taos, Alamogordo, Catron County, Deming, Gallup, Grants, Roswell, Ruidoso, Silver City, Truth or Consequences and Tucumcari.
NMRC utilized its extensive knowledge of the recycling and solid waste landscape in New Mexico to develop 12 business idea templates outlining actual businesses that can readily be launched as either new or expanded enterprises. For example, every community large and small produces discarded books and many do not have a reuse option for this valuable item. Consider opening a book reuse store. The model can vary from a retail operation that accepts both cash and used books as trade in to an internet based business that simply returns books to existing online services and receives payments for those books. A partnership with schools, libraries or local solid waste or recycling departments can ensure a steady supply of used books for your business.
NMRC can help identify sources of material, coordinate activities with local solid waste departments, determine customer selling points, understand equipment requirements and more. All 12 of the recycling business idea templates are available for download at www.recyclenewmexico.com/RBEG.html
See the NM Small Business Development Center for further assistance – www.nmsbdc.org
Contact: Sarah Pierpont, 505-603-0558
