About Us
Our Purpose
Yakima Recycles Glass is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: each of us is responsible for the waste we create. Every product we buy, every package we open, and every bottle we empty leaves something behind. That “something” doesn’t disappear—it must be managed, processed, and ultimately paid for in one way or another.
There is a real cost to the byproducts of modern life. Whether it’s the trash placed in a bin, what’s flushed down a drain, or materials like glass that often fall outside standard recycling systems, these impacts add up. Too often, those costs are hidden from view—absorbed by our environment, passed along to future generations, or shifted onto communities without the resources to manage them effectively.
Our Mission
By focusing on recycling glass, we aim to reconnect people with the lifecycle of their waste and provide a responsible, local solution for a material that is endlessly recyclable but frequently discarded. Glass doesn’t break down over time—it persists. But when recycled properly, it can be transformed and used again without loss of quality.
Our mission is not just to divert glass from landfills, but to build awareness, accountability, and a culture of stewardship in our community. Recycling is more than a convenience—it’s a commitment to taking ownership of our impact and choosing to do something about it.
Our History
Origin
Due to a lack of a local glass recycling program, Mick Janke started Yakima Recycles Glass in 2021. Her original service delivery model involved driving to individual homes to pick up their glass. As word spread, Mick added folks to her pickup route. Then she and a small handful of volunteers would drive the glass to a cemetery in Ellensburg, WA, where a thriving group of artists and recyclers operated their glass crusher and small-scale pulverized-glass sand reuse program. In 2021, the group added a monthly Drive-Through-Drop-Off site at OIC of Washington on Fruitvale Blvd. in Yakima, WA. Volunteers would man the drop-off site in the morning, then transport all of that month’s collected glass to the crusher in Ellensburg (about a 40-minute drive). At the crusher, it would take a few hours to unload the glass, feed it through the crusher, and collect and organize the PSG.
In addition to managing the physical and logistical work of collecting the glass, managing volunteers, and communication/promotion of Yakima Recycles Glass, Mick spent a significant amount of time researching and reaching out to partners to find more uses and markets for the PSG that Yakima Recycles Glass was producing.
New Model
In the summer of 2024, Ron Shaw came across a notice about a group recycling glass in Yakima. As a professional project manager nearing retirement, he was already frustrated by the lack of glass recycling options in the area. He reached out to Mick to see how he could help.
At the time, Mick was preparing to move closer to family and welcomed the support. Ron stepped into a leadership role but quickly recognized that the existing process was inefficient and unsustainable.
Mick connected Ron with Chris Luek of BIG Recycling in Walla Walla, who had been advising her on improving operations. With Chris’s guidance, Ron secured an agreement with Basin Disposal Inc. to rent a container for glass collection. The material was transported to Pasco, combined with BIG’s collections, and then sent on to Portland for recycling.
In October 2024, with support from Yakima Community College’s STEM program, Ron organized a proof-of-concept event on campus. Volunteers from the program, along with Mick’s regular helpers, collected more than 3,000 pounds of glass.
Building on the success of that event, Ron began organizing a formal structure for the effort. By December 2024, he had recruited volunteers to form a board and begin the process of establishing nonprofit status.
Our Board Members
Meet the Leaders Behind Yakima
Recycles Glass
Ron Shaw
Board Chair
Katy Scofield
Board Secretary
Annalisa Harty
Board Member
Mark Norman
Board Member
Miriam Mendoza
Board Member
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We will collect at least 3,000 pounds of glass at each event in 2026.
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We will increase community engagement by building our participants list to at least 500 households by the beginning of 2027.
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We will improve our operational efficiency by reducing our setup and breakdown for each event to no more than one person-hour.
Our Goals
Our Volunteers
Miguel Ramirez
Miguel enjoys supporting neighborhood cleanup projects and encourages local businesses to recycle glass responsibly.
Sarah Johnson
Sarah has volunteered with Yakima Recycles Glass for over three years, helping organize community glass collection events and educating residents about recycling.
David Thompson
David helps sort recycled glass and mentors new volunteers during collection drives across Yakima.
Emily Chen
Emily assists with volunteer outreach and community education, inspiring others to participate in sustainable recycling efforts.
