NORTH LAKE, WIS.—Thousands of hotel rooms and corporate offices across the United States use the distinctive design of reCollect2 Company’s in-room recycling receptacles to keep their premises clean, and to strive toward achieving sustainability goals.
A new initiative from reCollect2 invites its customers to join the fight against human trafficking, a vile practice that traps tens of thousands of people—many children—in sexual and labor slavery.
The sleek, side-by-side recycling and waste bins from reCollect2 are newly offered with the text number for the National Human Trafficking Hotline*, a 24/7 service that offers aid to trafficking victims and a tip line for reporting information. Text is the fastest-growing means of electronic communication and, in 2019, comprised 17 percent of trafficking-related contacts to the hotline. The bins identify the hotline number in English and Spanish.
“Human trafficking has been reported in every county in Wisconsin, in every state across the U.S., and around the world,” said Ann Riphenburg, owner of reCollect2 Company. “People are caught in it for a variety of reasons, and don’t know how to get out. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is a start. The hope is to increase awareness of the hotline and help anyone who may need it, in as many places as possible.”
More Than 100,000 Sold
reCollect2 has sold more than 100,000 units of its original three-piece product, manufactured in Sussex, Wis., since the company’s founding in 2010. Dual bins—one waste, one recycling—sit in a stable plastic base. The design’s clean, cohesive silhouette complements today’s eco-inspired spaces.
The product’s low profile and ease of use are ideal for hotel guestrooms. These same places, however, are frequent conduits for human trafficking, as victims are shuttled far from their homes to places where they are helpless and alone.
Despite its prevalence, human trafficking usually goes unnoticed, especially with COVID-19 reducing interaction at hotels and increasing anonymity of those around us. The new reCollect2 product feature aims to provide victims a lifeline to seek help, and assist witnesses who suspect trafficking is occurring nearby, yet are not sure what to do.
“This is a number everyone should know, and it is time for us to elevate our fight against human trafficking,” Riphenburg said. “The hospitality industry is making a concerted effort to shed light on this dark practice and educate its workers to watch for signs of victimization.
Call (262) 527-9375 for more information.
