Our family is on a mission to educate and serve the local glass recycling needs. We’re proud to be making a difference, one piece of glass at a time!
Our History
Founded by Chris Fisher in 1992, Fisher Recycling began as a humble one-person operation, collecting recyclable goods from several Charleston restaurants and offices at the request of the business owners. Driving an old, decrepit pick-up truck, the “ecopreneur” in the making was performing a job that restaurant owners and office managers didn’t have time to accomplish – collecting and disposing their recyclable waste.
By 1994, the Charleston, South Carolina business community had embraced Fisher Recycling’s concept of office and restaurant recycling. Scheduled collections, in-house education and dedication to customer satisfaction grew Fisher’s client base from just a few daily collections to more than 30 recycling collections each day. Once well-known for his signature dented, blue pick-up truck, Fisher had to create a fleet, led by “Big Red,” the company’s first real recycling truck, to meet the company’s growing client recycling needs.
In the winter of 2005, the company expanded its warehouse space on to the old Navy Base, located on the revived and renovated “The Navy Yard.” Fisher Recycling actually completes the local recycling loop by processing some of the glass collected and reusing it in a new product line for homes and businesses. This product line is called “GlassEco” and offers custom made countertops, wet bars, loose glass aggregate for landscaping and decorative applications.
Since that time, Fisher has recycled over 8.5 million pounds of aluminum, glass, plastic, and tin and 24 million pounds (12,000 tons) of office paper, newspaper, magazines, and cardboard. Fisher Recycling serves a client base that ranges from restaurants to offices and business parks to hotels and resorts in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. The company also collects e-scrap, or old electronics from area businesses, and developed and implemented successful residential projects on Daniel Island for seven years. Despite the changes of growth and development that the company has experienced, the one constant that continues to guide Fisher Recycling is their commitment to the company philosophy and purpose to educate and serve the community’s business recycling needs.
Chris Fisher | “Ecopreneur” & Co-owner
Chris Fisher founded Fisher Recycling in 1992, collecting glass, plastic, aluminum, tin, cardboard, and oyster shells from a few local restaurants. He grew the business quickly and has since exceeded 800 customers, consisting of hotels, offices, resorts and restaurants.
In 2004, Chris was appointed by Governor Mark Sanford to the Recycling Market Development Advisory Council (RMDAC). Chris continued to serve on the RMDAC until May 2010, when he reassigned his seat to his first franchisee from the Grand Strand area of Myrtle Beach. Currently he serves on the Board of Directors of the Sustainability Institute of Charleston, the Low Country Economic Development Council for the City of Charleston, SC First Citizens Bank Advisory Board and the Low Country Local First Executive Committee.
Elizabeth Fisher | Co-owner
Elizabeth graduated from East Carolina University in 1988 with a BS in Hotel Restaurant Management, minoring in Business and Psychology. She and Chris married in 1992 when they moved to Charleston. Elizabeth worked in the food and beverage industry in Charleston before taking a “real” job (since Chris was the “ecopreneur”) at Wild Dunes Resort as a Conference Services Manager. She was there for five years until the birth of their son and at that point, she came on board, full time, with the family business. Since 1997, she has been handling the office functions and any other areas around the warehouse where she can get her hands dirty! She likes to be involved in community events and aspects of the industry that promote local businesses supporting one another.
Sponsor a Drop Site
In addition to leveraging our commercial recycling services, companies can sponsor a residential drop site or pop-up event for glass recycling. This creates opportunities for residents in the area to learn about glass recycling and become a part of our mission to divert glass from the landfills. It’s a great way to gain exposure in the community and show your commitment to social corporate responsibility.
