Researchers collected and sorted through more than 38,000 pounds of mixed recyclables from 173 sample loads. | Rubens Alarcon/Shutterstock
Researchers have quantified contamination in the business recycling stream in the Portland, Ore. metropolitan area, providing data that can be used to make operational or outreach decisions.
California cities of 50,000 residents or more are seeing inbound contamination rates between 8% and 46%, with an average of 20%. | Oksana Shturo/Shutterstock
According to a study from The Recycling Partnership, large and mid-sized cities in California see an average contamination rate of around 20%, a finding that underscores the complications of aligning enthusiastic residents with local-program realities.
Technology developer Zabble is working with the University of California, San Francisco to reduce waste and increase diversion. | David Tran Photo/Shutterstock
A data collection and analytics platform is helping a California university improve its landfill diversion. In recent weeks, the platform has also helped combat the spread of COVID-19.
A worker was killed in a MRF accident in Nebraska shortly after the publication of an article highlighting the often-dangerous working conditions in the recycling industry.
A recycling contamination education campaign is underway in Washington, D.C. | Andrei Medvedev/Shutterstock
The Washington, D.C. Department of Public Works will target film and other contaminants as part of a “Feet on the Street” campaign.
Local recycling programs develop differently, and effectively providing support involves meeting municipalities where they’re at. The Recycling Partnership is employing that mantra to boost the viability of materials recovery in California, Oregon and Washington.
As the need for a cleaner stream becomes clear, haulers and local programs are taking steps to reduce contamination. Some enforcement tactics are proving unpopular among the public.
A panel of experts discusses contamination during a plenary session at the 2018 Resource Recycling Conference.
Industry stakeholders from around the nation convened in St. Louis last week for the 2018 Resource Recycling Conference, where the hottest topics in materials recovery received attention over two days of educational sessions.
A New York recycling company executive has pleaded guilty to felony charges connected to a dispute over contamination in recycling loads collected from a commercial client.
