CAPTURE RATE STUDIES USING DATA TO DRIVE RECYCLING IMPROVEMENTS
We Work Hand in Hand with Communities and Companies IMPROVING RECYCLING FOR: THE ENVIRONMENT THE ECONOMY AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES OPERATIONS EDUCATION MEASURABLE CHANGE 2
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WASTE COMP VS CAPTURE RATE Waste Comps Looks at broad material streams, can be good indicators of what can still be recovered Waste comp waste categories can be disconnected from marketable commodity categories Unless matched with parallel recycling data, waste comps poor indicators of recycling performance. Capture Rates Program focused Commodity focused Behavior focused Can be applied to curbside but also other diversion programs (e.g., food waste)
WASTE COMPOSITION STUDIES
Capture Rates vs Recycling Rates RECYCLING RATE: How much of all MSW is getting recycled? LET S SAY A HOUSE HAS 800lbs RECYCLABLES + 1200lbs OTHER 2000lbs TOTAL AND 400lbs RECYCLABLES GO INTO RECYCLING 20% RECYCLING RATE 2000lbs TOTAL 6
Capture Rates vs Recycling Rates CAPTURE RATE: How much of recyclables are really going where they should? LET S SAY A HOUSE HAS 800lbs RECYCLABLES + 1200lbs OTHER 2000lbs TOTAL AND 400lbs RECYCLABLES GO INTO RECYCLING 800lbs RECYCLABLES 50% CAPTURE RATE 7
VIDEO
Cart based auditing paired samples 9
Box truck collection to organize samples 10
ID each garbage and recycling sample to connect back to same address.
Wrap each sample in tarp.
The sort.
Material % Captured including bagged % Captured excluding bagged Total Capture: 71% 63% Recyclable Paper 70% 63% Cardboard 81% 79% Mixed Paper 67% 58% Aseptic & Gable top 59% 53% Recyclable Metal 56% 49% Aluminum Cans 66% 55% Aluminum Foil & Trays Then show capture rate information 20% 18% Steel Cans 56% 51% Recyclable Glass 74% 67% Glass Containers 74% 67% Recyclable Plastic 51% 45% Clear PET Containers 60% 52% Other Containers & Small Rigids 40% 36% HDPE Natural Bottles & Jars 66% 57% HDPE Colored Bottles & Jars 56% 14 49%
CONTAMINATION CATEGORIES Food Paper Contaminants Other Rigid Plastic Contaminants Plastic Bags and Film C&D Textiles and Shoes Glass Contaminants Tanglers (hoses, ropes, cords, chains) HHW Metal Contaminants Yard Waste Electronics Disposable Diapers
City of Chicago
City of Atlanta
City of Denver
Methodology Piloted approach in areas of roughly 4,500 homes Started with capture rate baseline Implemented strategy over 8 collection cycles Completed second capture rate study Analyzed behavior change Use results to roll out strategy city wide
Atlanta
The Strategy:
The Execution: General Info Direct Engagement Supporting Campaign Contaminant Specific 2 2
ATLANTA - CAPTURE RATES Before and After Data 2017 Pilot Areas - Single-Family - Curbside Service OVERALL CAPTURE RATE Capture increased from 52% to 66%
ATLANTA - CAPTURE RATES Before and After Data 2017 Pilot Areas - Single-Family - Curbside Service All Major Commodities increased
Homes with bagged recyclables fell from 52% to 22% BEFORE AFTER
Atlanta A/B Testing High Income (Group A) Low Income (Group B) Contamination detail before and after Do Not Bag intervention recyclables in bags recyclables in bags other contamination other contamination recyclables in bags recyclables in bags other contamination other contamination
Chicago
The Program: 2 8
CHICAGO - CAPTURE RATES Before and After Data 2017 Pilot Areas - Single-Family - Alley Service OVERALL CAPTURE RATE Capture rate held at 50% Bagged recyclables average 3%
Aggregate Contamination in Cart
Chicago Contamination by Weight (before and after)
Chicago Contamination by Occurrence (before and after)
Chicago Contamination by Weight (before and after)
Chicago Contamination by Occurrence (before and after)
Denver
IMPROVING CAPTURE IN DENVER 36
Denver Material % Captured including bagged % Captured excluding bagged Total Capture: 71% 63% Recyclable Paper 70% 63% Cardboard 81% 79% Mixed Paper 67% 58% Aseptic & Gable top 59% 53% Recyclable Metal 56% 49% Aluminum Cans 66% 55% Then show capture rate information Aluminum Foil & Trays 20% 18% Steel Cans 56% 51% Recyclable Glass 74% 67% Glass Containers 74% 67% Recyclable Plastic 51% 45% Clear PET Containers 60% 52% Other Containers & Small Rigids 40% 36% HDPE Natural Bottles & Jars 66% 57% 37 HDPE Colored Bottles & Jars 56% 49%
Denver Material % Captured including bagged % Captured excluding bagged Total Capture: 71% 63% Recyclable Paper 70% 63% Cardboard 81% 79% Mixed Paper 67% 58% Aseptic & Gable top 59% 53% Recyclable Metal 56% 49% Aluminum Cans 66% 55% Then show capture rate information Aluminum Foil & Trays 20% 18% Steel Cans 56% 51% Recyclable Glass 74% 67% Glass Containers 74% 67% Recyclable Plastic 51% 45% Clear PET Containers 60% 52% Other Containers & Small Rigids 40% 36% HDPE Natural Bottles & Jars 66% 57% 38 HDPE Colored Bottles & Jars 56% 49%
DATA IN ACTION MATERIAL SPECIFIC CAMPAIGN 39
MATERIAL SPECIFIC CAMPAIGN Social Media Cart Tags 40
2017 DENVER RESULTS Recycling of loose aluminum cans in Group B increased from 47% 59% to That 12 point difference equates to an increase in can recycling of 25% 4 of those 12 points came from cans that were previously in the garbage 8 of those 12 points came from cans that were previously bagged (thus not captured) in recycling
TRY THESE TOOLS, JOIN OUR NETWORK, and let s make recycling more & better! TOOLS Online Library Starters BMPs IDEAS Webinars Newsletters E-Books Forums RESOURCES Grants Campaigns Tech Assistance Cody Marshall cmarshall@recyclingpartnership.org
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No t ire bolsas de plást ico Mayor Rahm Emanuel Questions or Service Requests? Visit RecycleByCity.com/ Chicago or Call 311 Printed on Recycled Paper