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Tag Archives: local programs

Effective resident education requires careful messaging

Published: January 28, 2025
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Compost, recycling and garbage carts set outside of the home on the curb for residential garbage and recycling pickup.

Consultants with Resource Recycling Systems gave tips on developing effective messaging to reach residents. | Michael Vi/Shutterstock

Effective recycling programs rely heavily on human behavior, which can be very hard to change. But developing a targeted strategy to educate residents – whether in a small rural area or a bustling metropolis – is an integral part of this process. Continue Reading

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How a famed ski region plans to improve diversion

Published: January 23, 2025
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Recycle Utah is working to bring a diverse array of shareholders together on a $25 million MRF project. | Photo courtesy Recycle Utah

Summit County, Utah, boasts one of the largest ski resorts in the U.S., bringing tourists from around the world to experience the majestic slopes in Park City. The region has even been selected as the site of the 2034 Winter Olympics.

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EPA spotlights gaps in recycling data, spending

Published: January 23, 2025
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A bag of mixed household recycling including contamination.

The U.S. EPA surveyed agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 11 U.S. territories in its latest report, the Recycling Needs Survey and Assessment. | New Africa/Shutterstock

A pair of reports from the U.S. EPA shines a light on just how fragmented data collection in the recycling industry is and the investment that would be needed to shore it up.

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Colorado communities prepare for recycling access project

Published: January 14, 2025
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Trucks on a highway.

Colorado’s Circular Economy Development Center’s Circular Transportation Network is using a “milk run” model to allow small communities access to recycling end markets. | Milos Muller/Shutterstock

A project to give rural Colorado communities access to recycling is ready to begin running truck routes later this month.   Continue Reading

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Glass collection options shift in Pacific Northwest

Published: December 3, 2024
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Glass bottle and cullet

Ridwell recently added glass to its collection list in Tacoma and Olympia, supplying the material to O-I’s Portland facility and to Strategic Materials. | pjhpix/Shutterstock

Glass is well known in the industry as both easy and challenging to recycling – easy from a technical sense and challenging logistically. That was recently highlighted by multiple developments in western Washington.

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Panel: End markets can be found or built from scratch

Published: November 26, 2024
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Speakers from Michigan, Minnesota and Oregon shared lessons from their work to grow end markets for recyclable materials at the 2024 Resource Recycling Conference. | Dan Holtmeyer/Resource Recycling

Finding end markets for recyclable materials requires both building connections with existing businesses and community organizations and helping new ideas take root, several recycling officials said during a 2024 Resource Recycling Conference panel.   Continue Reading

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Recycling leaders converge in Kentucky

Published: November 13, 2024
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The annual Resource Recycling Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, drew more than 300 registered attendees to sessions including “Connecting Innovation and Grassroots Efforts to Curtail Contamination.” | Dan Holtmeyer/Resource Recycling, Inc.

The 2024 Resource Recycling Conference kicked off Wednesday, bringing hundreds of recycling program managers, advocates and other experts to share successes and lessons from across the country. 

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Groups pay for UBCs in underserved communities

Published: November 19, 2024
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The Cans for Cash program launched in Blytheville, Arkansas, and will soon expand to Florida, Illinois and Mississippi. | Courtesy of Replenysh/Cash for Cans

In an effort to return more aluminum beverage cans to the recycling system, Every Can Counts U.S. and Replenysh started a community-driven recycling program in states without deposit return systems or strong curbside collection programs.  Continue Reading

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Goodwill, WM team up for textile recycling

Published: November 5, 2024
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Textiles collected for recycling

WM, Goodwill and textile recycler Reju are working to create a regional system for collecting, sorting, reusing and recycling textiles. | Chatham172/Shutterstock

Goodwill is continuing to develop its potential as a hub for not only reusing textiles but also recycling them with a new multi-year pilot program.  Continue Reading

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Organics collection programs take care, creativity

Published: October 29, 2024
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Person with food scraps for composting.

Compost Power uses metroStor bins to collect organics without attracting rats and has added its own graphic wraps to the bins to engage the community. | Gargonia/Shutterstock

Setting up successful organics diversion – whether statewide or just in one city – requires creativity, flexibility and a strong education campaign, presenters at WasteCon 2024 told attendees.  Continue Reading