Recycling Quality Improvement Program
Program Overview
The Recycling Quality Improvement Program aims to reduce recycling contamination in WRRMA communities. Contaminants are items that can't be recycled. In your recycling, contaminants can have unintended consequences and cause issues in the recycling process. If they are wet or have food residue, they can spoil other materials, reducing the other recyclables' value. Other items like batteries can cause fires, and plastic bags and hoses get tangled in processing machinery. Cleaner recycling helps ensure the materials you work hard to recycle are ultimately able to be recycled. The Recycling Quality Improvement Program aims to help you make accurate and informed recycling choices and provide personalized recycling feedback.
The educational campaign starts with a measurement of overall recycling contamination rates in the seven communities that make up WRRMA. Then, WRRMA “recycling detectives” will quickly glance at each single-family home’s cart or bin on four curbside recycling days within WRRMA’s communities, starting in mid- to late-June for most communities. If contamination is found during one of these quick checks, the recycling detective will leave behind a personalized feedback tag. On later checks, if another contamination tag is left, the recycling will not be picked up until the contaminant noted on the tag is removed. View the program timeline below for more details. Afterwards, another overall measurement will be conducted, to see how much we've all learned and improved!
This is part of a statewide effort throughout Michigan to increase our recycling rate, decrease recycling costs, reduce worker safety hazards, and attract manufacturers using recycled products to see Michigan as a great place to do business. This program is funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and The Recycling Partnership (TRP). The Recycling Partnership has coordinated this program in over 80 locations across the United States and has seen contamination rates reduced by up to 40% as a direct result.
The Recycling Quality Improvement Program aims to reduce recycling contamination in WRRMA communities. Contaminants are items that can't be recycled. In your recycling, contaminants can have unintended consequences and cause issues in the recycling process. If they are wet or have food residue, they can spoil other materials, reducing the other recyclables' value. Other items like batteries can cause fires, and plastic bags and hoses get tangled in processing machinery. Cleaner recycling helps ensure the materials you work hard to recycle are ultimately able to be recycled. The Recycling Quality Improvement Program aims to help you make accurate and informed recycling choices and provide personalized recycling feedback.
The educational campaign starts with a measurement of overall recycling contamination rates in the seven communities that make up WRRMA. Then, WRRMA “recycling detectives” will quickly glance at each single-family home’s cart or bin on four curbside recycling days within WRRMA’s communities, starting in mid- to late-June for most communities. If contamination is found during one of these quick checks, the recycling detective will leave behind a personalized feedback tag. On later checks, if another contamination tag is left, the recycling will not be picked up until the contaminant noted on the tag is removed. View the program timeline below for more details. Afterwards, another overall measurement will be conducted, to see how much we've all learned and improved!
This is part of a statewide effort throughout Michigan to increase our recycling rate, decrease recycling costs, reduce worker safety hazards, and attract manufacturers using recycled products to see Michigan as a great place to do business. This program is funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and The Recycling Partnership (TRP). The Recycling Partnership has coordinated this program in over 80 locations across the United States and has seen contamination rates reduced by up to 40% as a direct result.
