Making Reuse Connections for Business Minnesota Materials Exchange Catalog cover, Issue 1 - 2001     Reginald Cass, EI Microcircuits, and Suzy Mellem, Minnesota Materials Exchange. Thousands of pounds of packaging materials and plastics were kept out of landfills last year thanks to Reginald Cass, of EI Microcircuits which assembles electronic components in Mankato. “When I started at EI the only programs were for recycling corrugated cardboard and aluminum cans. I saw an opportunity to develop recycling and reuse programs that consider all of our waste materials,” said Reginald. A continuous supply of packaging materials is created at EI due to its daily incoming shipments. The Minnesota Materials Exchange connected EI to two companies in need of the materials. Jennings Decoy Co., a manufacturer of decorative wildlife gifts in St. Cloud, receives bubble wrap and packing peanuts for free. SL Woodworks, a wood working company in Owatonna, receives Kraft paper also at no charge. Helping conserve resources by providing free materials to businesses is why Reginald feels reuse is good stewardship. Electronic components are received on various plastic reels and trays and in tubes. Reginald sends the reels and trays to SMARTCycle in Austin, TX, for reuse. Materials Exchange linked EI to a plastics reprocessor for the tubes. They are now recycled starting with the 1,000 pounds stockpiled at EI. Reginald would prefer the tubes be reused. But, he feels that recycling is better than landfilling or burning for energy because the plastic is going back into the raw material stream. In addition to being good for the environment and community, Reginald’s work has been good for business. Despite significant production increases over the last two years, solid waste disposal costs have remained constant.