Hoping to Send Fewer Recyclables to the Landfill, Battle Creek, MI Launches Information Campaign

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): Battle Creek is working to fix its recycling problem. Since March, many residents’ recycling has been taken directly to the landfill because of contaminated materials. Now, the city is launching an information campaign to help people learn how to recycle properly. Putting non-recyclable materials in curbside recycling has caused entire truckloads of materials to be sent to the landfill and can cost the city an additional $1,650 per truck in fees if the materials can’t be accepted at the recycling facility.

Battle Creek will be sending out 12,000 postcards to remind people about what can and cannot be recycled. The postcards will be sent to areas of the city where contamination has been a problem. “When people call, we’ve been telling them to please continue recycling correctly. If they are, we’re doing our best to get that back to the recycling facility,” said Patty Hoch-Melluish, Battle Creek environmental and storm service manager. “We are seeing some progress, and we’re trying to focus more on the areas within the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday collection that we’re still seeing contamination.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantage.com