Dive Brief:
- John Trujilo, the director of Phoenix Public Works in Phoenix, AZ, said that 90% of the city's trash waste can be recycled.
- The city is looking to divert 40% of its waste from landfills by 2020; the current rate is 16%, up from 13% in 2013.
- To reach its goals within the intended timeframe, the city of Phoenix partnered with Cascadia Consulting Group, a firm that provides clients with solutions to environmental challenges. The group will oversee a study that involves an analysis of the waste materials residents throw out.
Dive Insight:
The city is in the midst of a improving its waste system in an attempt to reach its diversion goals. The last waste study Phoenix conducted, in 2003, found that almost 2/3 of household trash could have been recycled. The city began urging customers to use collection bins that are smaller than previously available bins with the hope that residents place more materials into the recycling bin as a result of the limited space.
Phoenix has invested $250,000 into the new study, and will need to spend an additional $400,000 to have materials like organic waste included in the analysis.
A potential solution could be the introduction of a pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) program. The system generally results in a dramatic reduction of household waste volumes. In fact, one case study showed that not only does the amount of waste decrease -- the recycling rate increases, too.
