China’s recent ban on the import of scrap materials and the resulting downturn in markets for some recyclables reinforces the importance of improving the quality of what is collected in residential recycling programs and ultimately sold into the open marketplace. One of the pillars of The Recycling Partnership has always been to do just that – influence the collection of more, better recyclables from households across the U.S.
At our website, recyclingpartnership.org, we have numerous free tools and work plans that communities can adopt to reduce contamination at the curb. Trash does not belong in the recycling cart and we are working hard with both communities and companies to drive positive change.
The Recycling Partnership’s contamination-reduction resources have been honed and tested in the field with partner states, such as Massachusetts, and partner cities, such as Atlanta, Chicago and Denver. This work has shown contamination rates drop by as much as 57% and capture rates increase as much as 25%.
Our engagement with community recycling programs is made possible thanks to the support of our Funding Partners and has never been more important than it is right now. When recycling is done well, it supports jobs, the environment, and the economy in towns nationwide.
There are no silver bullets when it comes to solving system-wide challenges such as contamination. This is why we continue to work with communities, companies, and organizations across the entire value chain to improve the quality of recyclables moving through the system. We understand that together, we can transform recycling for good.
About The Recycling Partnership
The Recycling Partnership (www.recyclingpartnership.org) is a national nonprofit organization that leverages corporate partner funding to transform recycling for good in cities and towns all across America. As the only organization in the country that engages the full recycling supply chain from the corporations that manufacture products and packaging to local governments charged with recycling to industry end markets, haulers, material recovery facilities, and converters; The Recycling Partnership positively impacts recycling at every step in the process. By the end of 2018, The Recycling Partnership expects to have served 750 communities with tools, resources and technical support, provided 500,000 recycling carts, reached 40 million households, and helped companies and cities invest more than $33 million in recycling infrastructure.
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Media Contacts:
The Recycling Partnership
Stacy Wilbur
stacy@teak media.com
(617) 269-7171