By Ethan Kispert

For roughly 20 years, Liquidity Services’ Scottsdale office served as the main hub for employees throughout all departments. But with the COVID-19 pandemic encouraging a switch to telecommuting, Liquidity Services knew they had to make a change, which included closing their Scottsdale office.

“When choosing a course of action for closing out the Scottsdale office, sustainability was prioritized as the deciding factor for each step,” according to the company’s 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance Report.

As a surplus company, promoting sustainability is one of their company goals, so Liquidity Services chose to go with a smaller veteran-owned company rather than a larger outfit. Paradog Junk Hauling & Disposal Services, LLC, a veteran-run local disposal company, was tasked with the removal. The decision, however, was more than just about getting the job done.

For Michael Spykes, Paradog’s owner and a retired U.S. Marine veteran, taking on the job meant more to him. “Our belief is that business should serve the community and the greater good,” Spykes says.

With the help of Paradog, Liquidity Services was able to remove, recycle, and repurpose nearly 15 tons of office materials and equipment. “Everything from cubicles to coffee machines were carefully assessed, and great care was taken to ensure that only those items which could not be resold, donated, or recycled were taken to a nearby landfill for disposal,” according to Liquidity Services’ report.
“[With this job] we had challenges we don’t normally face, but we’d do it for Liquidity Services again,” Spykes says. With every job Paradog takes on, the goal is to have, “Integrity, traditional work ethics, promptness, thoroughness, and a promise to provide exceptional value and service,” he adds.

“While avoiding landfill disposal altogether was not possible, our choice to take the extra time and effort to assess the reusability of each item in the Scottsdale office resulted in tons of material being redirected away from landfills,” according to Liquidity Services. “Though a mass disposal of Scottsdale’s office materials might have been cheaper and faster, we challenged ourselves to create a solution that would reduce our environmental impact and serve as a paragon for sustainable transition to telecommuting.”

“In total, 12,000 pounds of steel were recycled and two 26-foot box trucks full of material were donated,” according to Spykes.

“As always, the mission of Paradog Junk Hauling & Disposal is: to be nice, provide exceptional value for the money, and to leave every property better than when we found it while remaining environmentally responsible and ethically guided,” he adds.

To learn more, visit paradogjunkhauling.com.