Orange Tags Successfully Cut Smyrna, DE’s Recycling Contamination

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): Orange tags adorned recycling bins in town as part of a recent initiative focused on lowering contamination rates. The outcome suggests its success.  The Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) hired individuals from The Recycling Partnership to inspect recycling bins ahead of collection time. If bins were contaminated with non-recyclable items they would be tagged and not taken by Waste Management.

Mike Parkowski, Chief of Business with DSWA said Smyrna partnered with the agency because it had one of the highest contamination rates in the state. After recycling bins were policed for six weeks, Parkowski reports promising results. “Contamination dropped from 34 percent down to five percent,” he noted.  The program initially received some pushback from community members.

“People were upset about it. There were people who were like, ‘Why are people looking through my trash carts and recycling carts?'” Parkowski explained.  However, as time progressed, fewer tags needed to be issued.  One neighbor, Robin Smith, said “it brought a lot of attention to the issue so I guess we learned a few things.”  The lasting impact remains uncertain. Parkowski questioned, “Will people retain this information over time?”

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantage.com