ClearStream Recycling
ClearStream Recycling is a US-based, privately held manufacturer founded in 1990 that designs and sells portable and permanent recycling stations — featuring a patented bag-lock system, clear-bag visual sorting, and interchangeable lids — serving schools, municipalities, event organizers, sports venues, and businesses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersPalos Heights, Illinois, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ClearStream Recycling does
ClearStream Recycling is a privately held, US-based manufacturer of physical recycling and waste-sortation equipment founded in 1990 and headquartered in Palos Heights, Illinois. The company designs, produces, and sells portable and permanent recycling stations — frames, interchangeable lids, transparent bags, signage, connectors, and transporter carts — built around a patented bag-lock system that secures bags to heavy-duty 3/8-inch steel wire frames. Its clear-bag visual recognition design is intended to reduce contamination and increase diversion rates, with case-study claims including a 92.6% diversion rate at Super Bowl LVII (2023) and over one million bins cumulatively deployed across customers such as Harvard University, City of Phoenix, City of Cincinnati, and Schnecksville Community Fair.
The product portfolio is organized into two main categories. Portable Recycling Bins cover SingleStream, DualStream, Zero Waste Station, SideKick, ReuseMax, Reuse Rack, and the material-specific BeverageMax, TrashMax, CompostMax, AluMax, PlasticMax, and PaperMax variants used at events and temporary deployments. Permanent Recycling Bins — SortMax, WeatherMax, MobileMax, Double Hybrid, and PureTainer — target long-term institutional installations such as campuses, parks, and corporate facilities. Accessories include billboard sign kits, decals, transporter and pallet carts, Big Foot bases, replacement lids, and bags made from metallocene/LLDPE resin with a minimum of 10% post-consumer recycled content.
ClearStream operates a hybrid go-to-market combining a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (clearstreamrecycling.com) with B2B enterprise sales via phone and email. Pricing is publicly listed for standardized SKUs ($43–$1,975) with volume breaks, freight thresholds at 3+ units, and quote-based pricing for custom-printed bags, lids, and event boxes (minimum 250 units). Customer segments span schools and universities, municipalities, event planners and venues, sports facilities and park districts, businesses, and waste haulers. The company reports no funding rounds, no parent company, no disclosed revenue, and operates with approximately 6 employees, indicating a small, founder/closely-held operation.
ClearStream Recycling firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ClearStream Recycling
- Legal name
- ClearStream Recycling
- Website
- https://clearstreamrecycling.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ClearStream Recycling is a US-based, privately held manufacturer founded in 1990 that designs and sells portable and permanent recycling stations — featuring a patented bag-lock system, clear-bag visual sorting, and interchangeable lids — serving schools, municipalities, event organizers, sports venues, and businesses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ClearStream Recycling industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recycling & Waste Management Products
- NAICS
- Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111), Packaging and Labeling Services (56191), Waste Collection (56211)
- SIC
- Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040), Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Compactor, Container & Roll-off Services (Rental, Service & Logistics) (EUAIAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Trash Bags & Bin Liners (CRAJAGAA)
Keywords
Where ClearStream Recycling is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palos Heights, Illinois
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ClearStream Recycling business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales (B2C & B2B): ClearStream generates revenue through direct sales of recycling bins, frames, lids, bags, connectors, signage, and accessories to both consumer and business customers via their e-commerce platform. Products are sold in various pack sizes (1-pack, 5-pack, bulk 40-pack) with pricing ranging from $43 to $1,975 depending on product type and quantity. The company also offers custom printing services for branded solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Portable Bins - SingleStream, BeverageMax, AluMax, PlasticMax, PaperMax, CompostMax, TrashMax |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Zero Waste Station - 3-Bin Complete System |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Recycling & Trash Bags - Multiple Options |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Billboard Sign Kits |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Printed Products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SideKick Portable Bins |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Permanent Bins - SortMax, WeatherMax, MobileMax, Double Hybrid |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
ClearStream Recycling product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ClearStream Recycling manufactures and sells portable and permanent recycling bin systems, bags, lids, and accessories for events, schools, municipalities, and businesses. Their products feature a patented bag-lock system, transparent bag technology for visual sorting, and interchangeable lids that allow multi-stream waste collection. The line includes SingleStream, DualStream, BeverageMax, TrashMax, CompostMax, AluMax, PlasticMax, PaperMax, Zero Waste Station, SideKick, ReuseMax, Event Boxes, and permanent stations such as SortMax, WeatherMax, MobileMax, and PureTainer. All products are made in the USA and sold through their own e-commerce storefront and direct enterprise sales.
Product overview
ClearStream Recycling offers a comprehensive portfolio of physical recycling and waste management products, not a unified software platform. The product line is organized into two main categories: Portable Recycling Bins (for events and temporary use) and Permanent Recycling Bins (for long-term installations). The portable line includes SingleStream single-sort and DualStream dual-sort stations, specialized bins (BeverageMax, TrashMax, CompostMax, AluMax, PlasticMax, PaperMax, ReuseMax), the Zero Waste Station 3-bin system, SideKick hanging bins, and Event Boxes (cardboard disposable containers). Accessories include Billboard Sign Kits, Connectors (2-bin and 4-bin Podzilla), Frames, Hot-Stamped Lids, Decals, Transporter Carts, Bags (40-gal and 25-gal in various materials including compostable options), and miscellaneous equipment (Pallet Transporter, Big Foot Base). The permanent line includes SortMax (modular 2-4 sort), WeatherMax (outdoor stainless steel), MobileMax (indoor mobile), Double Hybrid (double-bin mobile cabinet), and PureTainer. All products share the ClearStream bag-lock system design and use transparent bag technology for visual waste sorting. Products are proudly made in the USA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SingleStream: Industry standard single sort station using one 40-gal bag, featuring innovative folding design with heavy-duty 3/8 inch frames.
- DualStream
- WeatherMax
- SortMax
- MobileMax
- PureTainer
- ReuseMax
- Reuse Rack
- SideKick
- BeverageMax
- TrashMax
- CompostMax
- AluMax
- PlasticMax
- PaperMax
- Zero Waste Station
Quantifiable outcome
- Achieved 92.6% diversion rate at Super Bowl LVII in 2023, qualifying as zero-waste event
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ClearStream Recycling
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
ClearStream Recycling technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
ClearStream Recycling partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ClearStream Recycling competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bigbelly Solar: Maker of solar-powered smart waste and recycling stations for public spaces, campuses, and city streets. Same product category and customer base as ClearStream's permanent line (SortMax/WeatherMax), differentiated by IoT compaction and fill-level sensors.
- RecycleAway: U.S. online retailer/distributor of recycling bins, compost bins, and custom bins for businesses, schools, and events. Highly comparable D2C + B2B motion and product mix to ClearStream, though without in-house manufacturing.
- Busch Systems: Leading North American manufacturer of recycling, waste, and compost bins with a similar multi-stream product line (Busch Sorta, Busch Pixel, multi-bin stations). Directly comparable to ClearStream in target customers (schools, municipalities, events) and product categories (portable and permanent bins).
Broad incumbents
- Rubbermaid Commercial Products: Major commercial-grade container brand offering indoor and outdoor waste/recycling bins as part of a much broader facility-supplies portfolio. Directly competes with ClearStream in commercial, education, and hospitality settings at significantly larger scale.
- Toter (Wastequip): Wastequip's Toter brand is one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of waste and recycling carts for residential, commercial, and municipal customers. Much broader portfolio and scale than ClearStream, with significant overlap in cart-based recycling infrastructure.
- Berry Global Group: Global plastics and packaging manufacturer producing films, bags, and containers including PCR-content bags. Mass-market incumbent that supplies similar resin-based bag products to ClearStream and competes in adjacent categories at vastly greater scale.
Emerging players
- SimpleHuman: Premium consumer organizer brand spanning kitchen, bath, and waste/recycling. Overlaps with ClearStream in dual-bin sorting, sensor-activated lids, and design-forward residential recycling solutions — though focused on consumer rather than commercial.
- Eco-Products: Compostable foodservice packaging and zero-waste solutions provider serving foodservice operators, stadiums, and events. Highly relevant adjacent peer given ClearStream's ReuseMax/Reuse Rack line and event zero-waste positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ClearStream Recycling social profiles
Digital presenceClearStream Recycling financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ClearStream Recycling leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ClearStream Recycling funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ClearStream Recycling M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ClearStream Recycling
What does ClearStream Recycling do?
ClearStream Recycling manufactures and sells portable and permanent recycling bin systems, bags, lids, and accessories for events, schools, municipalities, and businesses. Their products feature a patented bag-lock system, transparent bag technology for visual sorting, and interchangeable lids that allow multi-stream waste collection. The line includes SingleStream, DualStream, BeverageMax, TrashMax, CompostMax, AluMax, PlasticMax, PaperMax, Zero Waste Station, SideKick, ReuseMax, Event Boxes, and permanent stations such as SortMax, WeatherMax, MobileMax, and PureTainer. All products are made in the USA and sold through their own e-commerce storefront and direct enterprise sales.
Is ClearStream Recycling a public or private company?
ClearStream Recycling is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ClearStream Recycling founded?
ClearStream Recycling was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ClearStream Recycling based?
ClearStream Recycling is headquartered in Palos Heights, Illinois, United States, in the North America region.
How does ClearStream Recycling make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales (B2C & B2B).
Who are ClearStream Recycling's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bigbelly Solar, RecycleAway and Busch Systems. Broad incumbents are Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Toter (Wastequip) and Berry Global Group. Emerging players are SimpleHuman and Eco-Products.
Does ClearStream Recycling have an API?
No public API is recorded for ClearStream Recycling.
What industry is ClearStream Recycling in?
ClearStream Recycling's product category is Recycling & Waste Management Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAGAC, Compactor, Container & Roll-off Services (Rental, Service & Logistics), with a secondary code of CRAJAGAA, Trash Bags & Bin Liners. Its NAICS code is 326111 and its SIC code is 2673.