IWS’ newest MRF is part of its broader strategy to modernize waste management infrastructure

Interstate Waste Services Inc. (IWS), a Teaneck, New Jersey-based vertically integrated provider of solid waste collection, recycling and disposal services, opened its newest material recovery facility (MRF) in North Arlington, New Jersey, April 22.

RELATED: IWS ramps up NJ MRF

The MRF broadens IWS’ capabilities beyond New Jersey as it also will receive material from the five boroughs of New York, where IWS subsidiary Action Environmental Services is a top awardee for the new Commercial Waste Zones (CWZ) program. The CWZ program is designed to make waste collection more efficient and sustainable, aligning with IWS’ commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.

Photo courtesy of Interstate Waste Services Inc.

Representing a $30 million investment, the facility can process 215,000 tons of recyclables annually and features an automated Machinex sorting system that includes artificial intelligence- (AI-) powered robotics, mechanical ballistic screening, magnetic separation, optical sorters, air classification and a dedicated glass clean-up system. The facility will help keep 1.1 million cubic yards of waste out of landfills, IWS says, and offers throughput of up to 40 tons per hour for residential material and 20 tons per hour for commercial material.

“From being one of the first to offer organics collection in New York City to opening a state-of-the-art MRF in the Bronx, IWS has always been ahead of the curve in recycling innovation,” says Michael DiBella, chief executive officer of IWS. “This new facility is the next step in that evolution—an investment in advanced technology that improves capture rates, diverts more material from landfills and delivers real environmental benefits to the communities we serve.”

IWS says the new MRF is part of its broader strategy to modernize waste management infrastructure in the tri-state area for a more sustainable future. IWS’ waste-by-rail system already takes 300 long-haul trucks off the road every day, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 3,200 metric tons annually. The North Arlington facility builds on that impact by increasing material recovery and providing municipalities and businesses with the necessary infrastructure to meet recycling targets, the company adds.

Photo courtesy of
Interstate Waste Services Inc.

“Standing in this place, I feel like a kid in a life-size Erector Set,” says Jim Anderson, director of engineering at IWS and project lead for the North Arlington facility. “From AI to advanced optics, this is some of the most sophisticated recycling infrastructure in the country. After all the team’s planning and hard work, it’s incredible to see it come to life.”

“It was a true pleasure collaborating with the IWS team, whose vision, leadership and commitment to innovation made this facility possible,” says Rusty Angel, area sales manager at Machinex, which is based in Plessissville, Quebec, with U.S. locations in North Carolina and Arizona. “Seeing this advanced system come to life is rewarding for all involved, and we congratulate IWS on this milestone that will have a lasting impact on the region’s recycling infrastructure.”

Beyond its environmental benefits, the facility represents an investment in the local economy, IWS says, as it was built on the site of an aging building, revitalizing an underutilized property, creating new jobs and strengthening the region’s recycling capabilities.

"Sustainability is a core value here in Bergen County," says Richard Wierer, director of solid waste for the Bergen County Utilities Authority. "We’re delighted to have such a facility in our county and look forward to the positive environmental impact it will have for our area. Providing additional markets for recyclable material in Bergen County will benefit our municipalities."