The city may have saved about $2,400 last month in landfill fees because of its switch to single-stream recycling.
Public Works Director Jim Karch said in the first full month of the program changes, recycling increased by 30 percent. Karch said he was hoping the switch would create a 20 percent increase in the city’s recycling program.
“We are hoping more people will continue to recycle and get involved,” Karch said. “It’s possible there will be a leveling off and we maintain that 20 percent level but this is encouraging. We may be able to keep those numbers higher than expected.”
In July 2009 the city recycled about 200 tons of paper and containers through its curbside program. But last month that amount was closer to 260 tons. The city pays about $40 a ton to dump its garbage at the local landfill.
Curbside recycling is collected once every two weeks by the city’s crews. Earlier this summer, the city switched recycling providers so Bloomington residents no longer have to sort paper from plastic and glass containers.
Ecology Action Center Executive Director Michael Brown called the results incredible.
“The city and Jim Karch really need to be applauded for their efforts,” Brown said. “Anything we can do to reduce municipal solid waste from going to the landfill is especially important.”
The efforts by the city bring McLean County closer to meeting its goal of recycling 40 percent of the county’s waste, said Brown, also the county’s solid waste program director. Currently, the county recycles about 36 to 37 percent of its waste.
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