Whits Services Corporation: Transforming Waste into Opportunity

WSC is dedicated to safety in operations, ensuring all recycling processes meet regulatory standards and best practices.

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): Mark Whitley, the Founder and current CEO, started Whits Services Corporation (WSC) more than a decade ago, specializing in recycling difficult-to-process materials, such as large appliances and bedding. The organization has expanded significantly over the last several years, working with more than 3,600 vendors across a broad region that includes all of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. WSC manages fleet and workforce operations, plus waste collection through a large network of partners and customized solutions for different types of recyclables. They partner with various recycling facilities and vendor networks to manage their extensive recycling programs, and they also operate their own processing facilities to manage complex recycling tasks. Typical clients are the largest of companies across many industries, such as automative, retail, and industrial services. WSC focuses on non-conventional waste streams, like white goods (e.g., appliances), metal scrap, and pallets. Drop-offs and collections are tailored to meet client needs, with services extending from bulk pickups to national asset disposition. “The material we deal with is processed many different ways,” says Whitley. “For example, wood pallets are a great example of circular processing. The ones that are damaged are repaired and reused in shipping lanes. If damaged beyond repair, they are ground and used in mulching, compost, or animal bedding.”

Staying Ahead
While post-COVID challenges like labor shortages and supply chain issues have affected many industries, WSC has stayed ahead by integrating technology into its processes. For example, the use of AI for data collection and reporting has helped streamline operations and maintain efficiency during challenging times. “WSC has several custom AI modules that have been implemented in 2024. While we learned that the standard AI is a great tool. WSC needed to partner with a company that could build a true custom solution to capture our data that gets used in many corporate sustainability and diversion reports,” says Whitley.

Currently, one of the biggest challenges WSC has faced is managing the complexity of non-conventional recycling, such as handling difficult-to-recycle materials. However, they have addressed this head on by continuously innovating and finding new ways to repurpose items like appliances and electronic waste. “I believe the industry’s main challenge is staying sustainable while managing the growing volume of waste,” says Whitley. As a result, WSC uses their network to export materials where possible, turning non-recyclable items in the U.S. into jobs in export markets that have lower processing costs to harvest non-ferrous metals and separate plastics for recycling.

Whitley points out that WSC’s most notable achievement is establishing long-term, sustainable recycling programs for large appliances and used bedding. Large appliances are either exported or to be refurbished and resold, or the parts are harvested to be remanufactured and reused in the domestic markets. Bedding is a great example. Used bedding is broken down to the textile, wood, and metal level. From there, textiles are reused in domestic and export markets. Wood is ground for mulch or sawdust operations, and metal is reused in creating new ferrous metal items. “These initiatives, which have been operational for over a decade, have significantly diverted waste from landfills and exemplify our commitment to environmental stewardship,” comments Whitley.

Engaging with Communities
WSC is dedicated to safety in operations, ensuring all recycling processes meet regulatory standards and best practices. They strive for above industry standard processes that are not required by local, state, or federal governments in most cases. Whitley actively meets with vendors throughout North America and the Caribbean to view firsthand their processing facility and capabilities. “This ensures that the process meets WSC expectations,” says Whitley.

WSC also continuously emphasizes community involvement, including educating the public about recycling’s importance. Whitley points out that the most effective strategy has been educating clients and employees on the proper segregation of recycling materials to ensure that the flow of material is not deemed contaminated and processed at the correct facility. They also engage children and schools in recycling programs to build future generations of environmental stewards. “We assist our partner vendors in these efforts, offering our expertise in educating the people in the community.”

The Ultimate Goal
Whitley says that the organization’s ultimate goal is continued growth and innovation to create a zero-waste future where all recyclable materials are effectively repurposed. WSC aims to expand its recycling capabilities, including exploring more efficient ways to recycle additional materials like electronics and plastics. Says Whitley, “The improvements are possible with education and awareness, which we strive to provide at any given opportunity.” 

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com

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