James City County is taking action to improve recycling quality and reduce contamination in curbside carts. Beginning this month, James City County will participate in the regional Feet on the Street cart-tagging recycling project, led by askHRgreen.org. This initiative will provide residents with personalized, real-time curbside recycling education and feedback to help ensure only acceptable materials make it into the recycling stream.
James City County is one of several Hampton Roads localities participating in Feet on the Street, which will reach more than 32,000 households across the region, including select recycling routes in Newport News, York County, James City County, Suffolk, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
The initiative is part of a broader three-year recycling education effort made possible through a $1.9 million EPA Recycling Education and Outreach Grant awarded to the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC).
鈥淲e have to tackle the confusion around recycling head-on鈥攁nd we have to do it together,鈥� said Katie Cullipher, askHRgreen.org team leader. 鈥淕iving residents more access to information and better resources will have a major impact on the quality of recycling programs in James City County and across the region.鈥�
The Feet on the Street campaign is made possible with technical support from the national nonprofit The Recycling Partnership. Trained community-based observers will visit neighborhoods on collection days to review recycling carts and provide direct feedback to residents on how to reduce contamination. This hands-on approach helps ensure that only appropriate materials are recycled, improving efficiency and reducing waste.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to bring this initiative to James City County residents,鈥� said Bob Dittman, Solid Waste Director, James City County. 鈥淩eal-time feedback has proven effective in communities nationwide, and we鈥檙e confident this effort will make a real difference in improving recycling habits here at home.鈥�