Waste is preventable, not inevitable.

What Makes Eureka Different?

Image from below of young people joining hands in a circle.

Healthy Community

As a community-based, nonprofit social enterprise, Eureka operates like a zero waste laboratory. We take the data and experiences from our operations and apply it to advocacy and policy work that is aimed at changing systems, so it’s easier to not only recycle more, but (more importantly) to waste less. Wasting less means protecting our most marginalized and vulnerable communities from the detrimental effects of toxic pollution.

Group of Eureka staffers pose by blocks of compressed waste.

Local Economies

Uncommon to the industry, we make it a priority to provide our employees with good green jobs that offer living wages with benefits. We support strong local economies by carefully choosing responsible and transparent “end markets” that will turn materials into new products — materials that can be recycled again and again. At Eureka, over 90% of our materials are sold to markets in the Midwest and 100% stay within North America. 

Illustration of Earth.

Stable Climate

Zero waste has been shown to be one of the fastest, least expensive, and most impactful strategies available for combating climate change. Reducing the demand for natural resources, conserving energy, and decreasing toxic pollution from incineration and landfilling are just a few ways zero waste supports a stable climate and a healthy, resilient environment.

Where Does Recycling Go?

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