Dive Brief:
- City officials in Detroit say that one year into the curbside recycling program, only about 10% of residents are using the services.
- The cost of acquiring a $25 recycling cart is viewed as a factor contributing to the low number of households participating.
- In response to this issue, two organizations; the Michigan Environmental Council and Zero Waste Detroit, are launching a fundraising program to help offset the cost of the bins.
Dive Insight:
Lack of awareness and education about recycling could also be a factor in participation rates. Ron Brundidge, the Director of Detroit Public Works, said when the city implemented a pilot program for curbside recycling, the participation rate generally stayed at or below 20%, even though customers received complimentary bins.
Brundidge said, "We wanted to make certain that containers were being delivered to households that were committed to recycling. We did not want to pay contractors for services they were not providing as a result of citizens not using provided containers."
