Dive Brief:
- Albuquerque, NM has been recycling 70% more materials since introducing blue bins for weekly collection pick-ups.
- The city has generated $332,000 in revenue sharing since the project began, while paying out penalties totaling $189,000 to Friedman Recycling, as per the terms of a profit-sharing agreement between the city and the recycler.
- Albuquerque is penalized when the city fails to reach established quotas if the recycling tonnage doesn’t reach mutually agreed-upon monthly minimums.
Dive Insight:
Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry had set a goal of hitting a 20% recycling rate by 2015. Mission accomplished: state records show recycling totals in the county reached 24% in 2013.
According to the city, 31,000 tons were collected by the end of the fiscal year, a significant increase from the previous year's tally of 18,000 tons. It's estimated that between 60% and 80% of residents participate in curbside recycling collections.
A new $21 million MRF was also recently built in Albuquerque. In January, after approximately eight months online, the Friedman Recycling plant announced it recycled a “record-breaking” amount of materials, nearly doubling the volume of recyclables processed compared to the previous year.
