The Story of
Mr. Murph

The nickname “Murph” comes from the name Materials Recovery Facility (MRF)—what we call our facility here at Tulsa Recycle & Transfer.

Our mascot Mr. Murph originates from our “Material Recovery Facility” or MRF. This is a facility where mixed recyclables are separated and sent to manufacturers to be made into products and packaging we all use every day. We’re happy to say, Mr. Murph was the very first of his kind in Oklahoma.

A MRF’s design is to separate mixed recyclables and hold each recyclable into a storage bunker for baling when full. This method of mining and separating our household waste reduces the impact on landfill space, emissions generated from incinerating household waste, natural resources, and the added energy it takes to produce a product or packaging from those natural resources. 

A key part of what makes Mr. Murph so special is his automation. Mr. Murph separates recyclables based on weight and dimensional shape (2D or 3D). Recyclables then travel on conveyor belts over a series of mechanical and automated components that separate the recyclables and place them into individual storage bunkers. The separated recyclables are then compressed into large bales and sold to end users.

Quality Control personnel and artificial intelligence (AI) robots are positioned throughout the system to ensure non-recyclables items are removed to maintain the highest quality specifications. 95% of recyclables delivered to Mr. Murph stay in Oklahoma, supporting Oklahoma jobs and our economy.

Mr. Murph FAQ

How is Mr. Murph different from traditional recycling?

It’s all about the automation. Technology advances allow us to separate materials with the use of conveyor belts, high powered magnets, screens, and some other really cool mechanical devices. We’ve gone from a 15% recovery rate through manual sorting to 95% with our automated Mr. Murph. Talk about progress!

How does Mr. Murph benefit families and help businesses?

Mr. Murph makes recycling easier for families and businesses. Instead of separating recyclables themselves, people can rest assured TRT is sorting their recyclables to be made into new products and conserving energy. That’s why it’s so important that your business uses a collection company that takes your recyclables to Mr. Murph. Otherwise, all those recyclables just get buried in a landfill.

How does Mr. Murph benefit the community?

You can help feed Mr. Murph by separating recyclables at home or school…things like aluminum & steel cans, plastic, cardboard, and paper…then, dropping them off at any of our 600 plus locations around town.

Our team will be happy to assist you. Call or talk to us over chat.

MENU