Starve the Landfills with Gateway Recycling

Starve the Landfills with Gateway Recycling

Author: Diane Bickett and Greg Rotuno August 26, 2025 Duration: 30:04

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Anthony Iovine is the sales manager for Gateway Products Recycling, a family-owned paper recycling company, in business for over 30 years in Ohio and Pennsylvania. When asked why he loves his job, he says it's "waking up every day to save the planet - one bale of cardboard at a time." 

Paper recycling has been around since about 1031 AD, and is one of recycling’s success stories. The U.S. recycles around 46 million tons of fiber annually, according to the American Forest and Paper Association. In this episode, Anthony busts a few recycling myths. He gives us an insider's look at the paper recycling industry, the role of intermediate processors like himself who collect, grade, and bale paper before shipping it to domestic mills to be made into new products. Tony also shares how the industry has changed over the years, the impact of China's National Sword policy, and the importance of paper recycling in a world of growing consumption and dwindling resources. 

Gateway collects source-separated paper, cardboard, plastic, and metals from commercial customers - ranging from food manufacturers and grocery stores to stadiums and distribution centers. This sorted material yields cleaner, more valuable recyclables, enabling Gateway to move between 15,000 and 18,000 tons of materials through its plants each month, with the final stop being mills that make recycled boxes, gypsum board, cellulose insulation, and tissue products. All these efforts help keep forests standing, while protecting ecosystems, water and energy. Listen and hear how Gateway can turn your workplace waste back into resources.  

Learn More:

About Gateway Recycling

American Forest and Paper Association

Plastic China Documentary

China's National Sword Policy

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There's a quiet but powerful movement happening across Northeast Ohio, where innovative minds are reimagining how we live and work in balance with our environment. ECO SPEAKS CLE sits down with these local sustainability leaders-the entrepreneurs, scientists, community organizers, and business owners-who are putting these ideas into practice right here. Hosted by Diane Bickett, this podcast goes beyond theory to explore the tangible projects and personal stories shaping a more resilient region. You'll hear conversations that feel like a discovery, uncovering the work of people and organizations dedicated to making our cities greener, our economies more circular, and our connection to Lake Erie and the surrounding landscape more thoughtful. It’s not about distant concepts, but the actionable steps and sometimes messy, real-world challenges of building a sustainable future locally. Produced by Greg Rotuno, each episode is an invitation to learn from your neighbors and to see the familiar places you live and work through a new, hopeful lens. Tune in to this podcast for genuine dialogue that connects the dots between society, culture, and nature, offering a sense of place and purpose for anyone curious about their role in our shared ecosystem.
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