May 10, 2018

This piece is presented by Novak Sanitary Service.

Recycling should be rewarded, the leaders at Novak Sanitary Service believe.

So they’re partnering with Recycling Perks, a young and fast-growing company that works with local businesses to offer rewards for recycling.

“I think this will be a big win for all of us,” founder Bob Novak said.

Recycling Perks will replace Recyclebank for Novak customers beginning with June 4 service.

Novak began working with Recyclebank about a decade ago to encourage residents to earn discounts at businesses as they accumulate points for recycling.

Those points need to be used before June 1.

With Recycling Perks, “it’s not based on weight or volume, but participation,” Novak general manager Mike Herbst said. “If you participate, you get points.”

The points also are worth more. Ten points used to equal one dollar in savings. Now, it’s four points. Each pickup earns participants 50 points.

“So if you participate every other week on your recycling day, it’s $25 in savings in the community monthly,” Herbst said.

Recycling Perks also will have a representative, Bobbie Jo Leggett, working in the Sioux Falls market to gather offers from local businesses.

“I like that they focus on local rewards and getting local business partners rather than national awards and partners,” Herbst said. “The intent is to have it 90 percent local partners.”

Novak also will continue to offer a deduction on customers’ bills in return for recycling points.

“We have hundreds of people who do it every month,” Novak said. “We think residential recycling has reached a point where it’s pretty standard for people to do it. We’re still trying to encourage businesses and apartments to do a little better job.”

To sign up for Recycling Perks, visit recyclingperks.com. You’ll receive 100 points just for signing up, and if you enter the code NEWPERKS, that will add 500 points. Sign up by June 30 to be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card.

“We’re excited to bring this to the community,” Novak said. “The big thing for me is having a local rep on the street to get our local businesses involved and provide a higher level of service.”