Set Out Rates

The video below highlights ways communities all over the country are finding success from tracking data.

The most important pieces of data that you should measure in your program are:

• Set out rates – average number of carts on the curb at any one time
• Participation rates – average number of homes that participate at least once in a month in the recycling program
• Recycling tonnage
• Garbage tonnage

You want to measure this month to month or year over year to track success.

Do a waste composition study to find out what is left in your garbage. The waste stream is constantly evolving (i.e. light weighting) and tonnage does not tell the whole story.

Purchase recycling carts with RFID tags in them. It is a lot cheaper to make a cart with the tag in them rather than adding the tag later.  RFID tags allow you to:

• Manage assets and maintenance
• Attach addresses to carts
• Track set out rates and participation
• Find areas that are not recycling to focus your communication efforts