Dive Brief:
- In an effort to cut down on the amount of recyclables collected with high contamination rates, city trash inspectors in Tulsa Oklahoma are taking aggressive action to deter repeat offenders.
- The solid waste supervisor said a large number of community members are placing non-recyclables into the recycling bin. He said the best way to stop the issue is to educate and audit the public.
- Measures to reduce contamination include tagging the bins with stickers to alert households to the infraction, then contacting the owner and speaking with them directly. Officials plan to take the blue bins away from residents as a last resort.
Dive Insight:
Tulsa has 109,000 households who recycle. In 2013, the city's contamination rate was 28%, causing the city's recycler to spend a large amount of time separating materials at the expense of the company. It is interesting to note that customers who have pick-up scheduled on Fridays average the lowest contamination rate, around 10%. The worst numbers for recycling collections occur on Wednesdays, when the rate of contamination can be as high as 90%.
