Adams County will begin rolling out new recycling carts for the Town of Adams residents in June as it officially launches its “single-stream” collection service in July.
With this new recycling program, sorting recyclable items is no longer necessary; instead, residents will be able to place all recyclable items directly into a new recycling container. The 96-gallon carts have begun arriving at residents’ homes in June. The carts will replace the smaller bins households had to opt into for residential curbside recycling and come with wheels for easy maneuvering and attached lids to keep recyclables dry and secure.
Adams County applied for and received a grant from The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit organization that works with city governments nationwide to transform their recycling programs. The county was selected to receive grant support because of its dedication to advancing recycling in their communities. The grant from The Recycling Partnership helped pay for 900 new carts and includes funding for education and outreach about the new collection process.
“The Recycling Partnership is honored to partner with Adams County to expand equitable recycling access to yet another Wisconsin community,” said Jill Martin, Director of Community Programs at The Recycling Partnership. “We are thrilled to help the community capture an estimated 290,000 pounds of quality recyclables, which will unlock critical supply for the circular economy and local producers, and we are grateful to the PepsiCo Foundation for their support of this program through the All in on Recycling initiative.”
The County asks that residents continue to do their part by placing only recyclable materials in their carts, including empty and dry glass bottles and jars, empty and dry aluminum and steel cans, empty and dry food and beverage cartons, paper products (including newspapers and flattened cardboard), and empty plastic bottles and containers. To help limit the amount of non-recyclable material in the recycling, give food and drink containers a quick rinse and then place them directly into the recycling cart—no sorting needed.
Some items that cannot be recycled in curbside containers include plastic bags, paper towels, electrical equipment, batteries, food and liquid, scrap metal, Styrofoam ™, and clothing. These items often get mixed into recycling carts because of “wishcycling,” or the hope that they can be recycled. While well-intentioned, non-recyclable items cause serious issues, including damage to recycling facilities and injuries to recycling workers.
Residents can begin using their new carts beginning the week of July 5. While garbage will continue to be collected weekly; the new larger recycling carts will allow the city to collect recycling every other week.
For more information on what can and can’t go into the cart, or to find your recycling day, plus answers to other Frequently Asked Questions, visit co.adams.wi.us/departments/solid-waste-recycling or call 608-339-9178 Monday thru Friday 7am-3pm.