Our People

TFC Recycling: Doing The Right Thing For The Environment

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

On Wednesday, TFC Recycling’s, Nikolas Larum, responded to customers complaint regarding trash being discarded at the TFC Recycling drop off location in Portsmouth. When Nikolas arrived he was amazed at what he saw. Trash, not recyclables, being discarded. With trash and hazardous waste everywhere, Larum and other TFC Recycling employees stepped in to help clean up the litter. “This incident highlights the importance of our customers. It was a resident’s complaint that got me to the site.” said Larum.

The TFC Recycling drop off location is clearly marked with what can be recycled, but the incident allows us to once again focus on how we can further educate the public. “It is not unique for people to put the wrong things in these containers and it is a continuing challenge to educate residents  regarding what is and is not recyclable.” said, LeAnne Rains-Benedetto, Communications Director at TFC Recycling.

TFC Recycling is committed to providing educational programs about the importance of proper waste disposal and recycling. Protecting the environment is an important task and we need your help, to be truly successful. Below is a list of items that can and cannot be placed in your recycling container. Feel free to share this with your friends, your family and co-workers. TFC Recycling’s most important value is to do the right thing for our environment, our customers and our employees as we provide Responsible Waste Solutions.



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Making a Difference: TFC Recycling Volunteers and the Mayflower Marathon

Friday, November 19th, 2010

The 14th Annual Mayflower Marathon Food Drive is happening November 19th through November 21st. Volunteers and businesses are teaming up to make this year’s Mayflower Marathon bigger than ever!

Donations will be accepted around the clock at 2 locations. In Virginia Beach, Pembroke Mall parking lot (just outside of Kohl’s on the Virginia Beach Blvd. side). All items collected will benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. On the peninsula, trucks will be set up at Coliseum Central next to Peninsula Town Center in the parking lot next to Von Schilling at Coliseum Drive (just off Mercury Blvd). The Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula is the recipient of all of the donations collected there.

Last year, 1 out of every 5 people living in Southeastern Virginia looked to the Foodbank for assistance. Please help make a difference! Volunteers with the Foodbank will be accepting non-perishable food items, frozen turkeys, and cash. A 20 dollar donation will also get you a Mayflower Marathon T-shirt (while they last).

The 14th Annual Mayflower Marathon ends at 3pm Sunday afternoon.

While the Foodbank will accept ALL donations, here is a list of what they need most: canned meat (beef, pork, chicken, tuna), soup, stew, chili, canned fruits and veggies, produce, milk, cheese, beans, rice, pasta, peanut butter, nutritious snacks, macaroni and cheese, diapers, toilet paper, and 100% fruit juice.

TFC Recycling is proud to be associated with the Mayflower Marathon and appreciates all of the volunteers who help make a difference!
















































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Falling In Love

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

We have fallen in love.

This year was a very special year for our Paint Your Heart Out team.  Our homeowner, who we will call Joe, is a deeply conscious naturalist and a South Norfolk resident. But due to his health, has not been able to care for his varied and extensive plant collection.  When we arrived he told us he wanted his little oasis back.  We were only happy to oblige and as we worked, it became clear to us that we found a kindred spirit in Joe.



Joe’s little piece of heaven was greatly overgrown with ivy, trees, and weeds. As we began to clear out his property we found wonderful and beautiful plants hiding in the weeds. If you sit and talk with Joe for a while you will find out that each bloom, tree and plant has it’s own history. Individuals who were a part of his life gave him many of his plants. The others he acquired at special times in his life or traded for work.



Our team spent 2.5 days clearing, building, planting and sweating. Metal Tech came out and helped us tear down the old shed and donated a brand new 10×12 woodshed they assembled. Mid Atlantic Mailboxes donated a new mailbox and Motion Industries donated new watering hoses. We received cash donations from Waste Equipment, Hiller Security, Tidewater Mack, and Industrial Products.  Six fabulous girls from ODU came out on Saturday bringing our worker total to 22 people.







Jessica Wilkinson, our Paint Your Heart Out team captain said, “Projects like this remind us of how short life really is and no matter what age you are you have got to give back.”  Because of the number of donations we received we were able to fulfill one of Joe’s wishes to “eventually get my pond up and running.” It was so wonderful to be able to surprise him with a new pond.  Joe will be in our hearts and prayers this coming week as he heads to the hospital for surgery. We hope his recovery will be speeded by his renewed pond and oasis.



This is TFC’s fifth year participating in the program and this year all of the yard waste was recycled and eco-friendly products were used.  Paint Your Heart Out is a program sponsored by area Rotary Clubs. Over the last 18 years they have worked on over 500 houses and this year the program painted 15 houses.  If you would like more information you can find them at Chesapeake Rotary.



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A Day In The Life Of TFC | April 30th

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Life is always exciting at TFC. Today was no different. We headed out to Wal-Mart to meet our new work release participants and purchase new shoes for the gals. After checking out, we barely made it to the car before one of the deputies called us. The Wal-Mart Greeter stopped them because they didn’t have the receipt for the shoes, which we had. So back we went to Wal-Mart to find all the gals and the deputies being held hostage by the Wal-Mart greeter.  We were a bit embarrassed, but the hostages were soon released after showing the receipt. As a part of the program we will buy their shoes and they pay TFC back from their first paycheck. After shopping, the workers came back to TFC for an introduction to recycling and tour of the plant so they can start working for us.


Then this afternoon we had a wonderful surprise. Rosi Martin, a Chesapeake resident, who took a tour of the facility earlier this week stopped by with goodies in hand. She was so touched with the job our workers do in the plant she brought each of them a beautifully wrapped snack.  Once the recyclables get to the plant, much of the process still requires manual labor to pull out items that don’t belong.  Rosi said these workers in particular are such a vital part of the recycling process and in making our world a better place to live, that she just wanted to make their day a little brighter. Her gift had an awesome selection of snacks. She is warm-hearted person and thanked our plant workers individually.  How cool is that?!









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