U.S. Bancorp is expanding its recycling program and spurred a new business to help its smaller-sized operations with their recycling.

The Minneapolis-based bank was the impetus for the creation of Eco2Go Recycling Solutions LLC. to help the company recycle cans and plastics from about 1,100 of its facilities that have been too small for traditional recycling services. U.S. Bank said in a news release that it expects more than 50,000 pounds of materials from its smaller sites (fewer than 50 employees) to now be recycled annually. This is in addition to what the bank recycles at its larger sites and the more than 20,000 pounds of shredded confidential documents it recycles each year.

 The bank is placing Eco2Go portable recycling containers at its smaller sites to collect recyclable materials, including plastic, aluminum, tin and other metal cans, plastic grocery bags and plastic bottles with lids. When the Eco2Go container is full, United Parcel Service picks up the designed-for-shipping container as part of a regular delivery or pickup at the branch, and then delivers it to a nearby recycling center. Eco2Go makes the containers.

U.S. Bank said the concept eliminates the need for a waste collection truck and therefore reduces carbon emissions as well.

"We had to think creatively to identify a recycling service that met the needs of each of our bank-owned premises,” said Lisa O'Brien, senior vice president and director of environmental affairs at U.S. Bank. “Employing the Eco2Go concept makes sense for many of our traditional branches and smaller sites where we have fewer than 50 employees because it takes advantage of a cost-effective distribution system that's used only when needed."

CORRECTION: The original story, based in on U.S. Bank information, incorrectly reported that Eco2Go was a U.S. Bank startup and subsidiary.