Casella Waste Systems Inc. is partnering with Green Mountain College on a closed-loop recycling program.

Green Mountain College, in Poultney, Vt., agreed to participate in Casella’s Power of Three initiative, according to a news release. Under the Power of Three program, the Rutland, Vt.-based Casella picks up a customer's recycling, processes it into new products and returns those products – new hand towels, tissue paper and toiletry items – to the customer.

The Green Mountain partnership also includes SCA Paper, Foley Distributing and UGL Services.

Using Casella’s Zero-Sort system, all of Green Mountain's paper, plastic, glass and metal will be combined in one container. Casella's Zero-Sort processing facility located in Rutland will mechanically sort the material. Once sorted, the baled paper will go to the SCA plant in Glens Falls, N.Y., to be converted into 100-percent recycled paper products. Those will be delivered back to Green Mountain by Foley Distributing and UGL Services.

Casella said businesses that have converted to the Zero-Sort method typically see a 20-40 percent improvement in their recycling.

"This project is a great demonstration of how non-profit institutions and for-profit companies can work together to create a greener economy," said Green Mountain President Paul Fonteyn.

"One of our goals as a company is to help our customers ensure that as few resources as possible are wasted," said John Casella, chairman and CEO of the waste and recycling company.