To Accept or Not to Accept, That is the Question

Curbside programs vary in collection style and what may be dropped in the bin or dumpster. Some programs take only the basics such as plastics, while others welcome even your old pots and pans. How is it determined what will be accepted in a program?

Market Matters

When constructing a curbside program, local markets are generally the first criteria that has to be sorted out, according to Andrew Basmajian, the Environmental Outreach Coordinator for the City of Santa Monica, Calif. A city located next to a major railroad or port, for example, will have much more market options. A city which would have to truck out the recyclables will likely not accept as large a variety because transportation of the material would be too expensive.

“You have to know that you are going to be able to sell it for no cost. The traditional items have strong markets,” said Paul Dunn, Recycling Coordinator for the City of Omaha, Neb. There are markets for basically any item, he added, but it must be economically realistic to collect it.

Santa Monica’s close proximity to Los Angeles is largely responsible for its broad curbside program, which will soon be expanded to also include small scrap metal, such as door knobs.

“[In Santa Monica,] it is very difficult to find something that is not marketable,” Basmajian said.

Recycle: It’s the Law

Some states require cities to recycle, such as Pennsylvania. In 1988, Act 101 was passed, which included a list of minimum items that must be accepted in every city’s curbside program.

Many cities have expanded beyond the minimum requirements, depending on local markets, said Anne Saurman, Manager of the Allentown Bureau of Recycling and Solid Waste. Allentown’s nearness to Philadelphia and New York allow it to have a broad program, which accepts everything from the typical glass and paper, to all seven types of plastic, to appliances.

The State of California also has aggressive recycling mandates, Basmajian said.

The Middle Man

Another criteria that may impact what is accepted in a curbside program is the company doing the sorting or brokering. Many cities hire intermediaries to handle the collected material. The company managing Santa Monica’s materials is very aggressive, Basmajian said. It was the company, not the city, that suggested the program begin to accept scrap.

Pratt Industries, the sorter company for Griffin, Ga., determines what is included in the local curbside program. The city, however, is able to choose which company to hire. Griffin chose Pratt Industries because of its generous list of acceptable materials, said Kevin Barkley, Assistant Director of Solid Waste City of Griffin.

Troublesome Materials

Certain items get the boot from the curbside program because they are difficult to sort.

“If you’re collecting in single stream, you need to be able to separate [the materials]. The equipment used to separate those things may not tolerate hangers, clothing or plastic bags,” Dunn said.

Consumer Impact

If consumers want their curbside program expanded, the best plan of action is to contact the waste management office. But it’s important to remember that the city can’t always make changes immediately, Dunn said. Cities are often in long-term contracts. Omaha, for example, is just approaching the middle of a 10-year contract and therefore is unable to make any changes for another six years.

For some consumers, it is not a matter of expanding the program; it’s becoming part of it. Many apartment complexes and similar units are not included in a city’s curbside program.

“Multi-family housing is the hardest to reach out to. It’s hard because there is not a lot of space. Also because many are gated, and it’s hard to get those trucks through the gates. It’s a very big challenge,” Barkley said.

But if your complex is not included, it’s not the city’s doing. The owner of the unit is actually the one who is in charge of coordinating with the city. If the residents of a mulit-family unit want to be included in their city’s curbside program, they need to get in a three-way conversation with the manager and the city, Barkley said.

Regardless of whether curbside recycling is available in your area, you can find a nearby recycling center using Earth911.