Residents putting trash in the recycling costs the U.S. recycling system more than $300 million each year.听While some residents wrongly put their recyclables in plastic bags in their recycling bins, others wish that certain things could be recycled at the curb鈥攕uch as garden hoses, ropes, wires, plastic films and wraps, food, clothing, batteries or flammables鈥攁nd mistakenly add those into their bins. Some of these items can damage equipment in recycling facilities and others can shut down a facility causing delays, both of which can be costly. The Recycling Partnership鈥檚 work with more than 1,300 communities nationwide is improving infrastructure, adding in access to residential curbside recycling, and educating consumers about what does and does not go into the recycling with the goal of making sure we are collecting as many quality recyclables as we can to create new products made of recyclable materials.
鈥淲e know that consumer confusion over what is and is not recyclable is one of the top reasons why trash still ends up in recycling bins, and valuable recyclables end up in the trash.听Our community partners have asked for our help in creating free and customizable posters, labels and signs, and social images that they can use all year round for citizen communication — and we were happy to deliver,鈥� 听saidKeefe Harrison, CEO of听The Recycling Partnership. 鈥淭hese tools, available and free to anyone who needs them, connects to our tested and proven campaign materials and better enables recycling programs to inform their public. We are also thrilled to work with partners like the paper industry, retailers, and consumer good companies who are working with us to create campaigns or support campaigns that support citizens in stronger recycling. 听We need Americans to understand and trust their local recycling program 鈥� and that takes all of us working together.鈥�
In 2019, The Recycling Partnership expects to have served more than 1,300 communities with tools, resources and technical support, helped place nearly 600,000 recycling carts, reached 60 million households, and helped companies and communities invest more than $55 million in recycling infrastructure. 鈥淲hen residents recycle correctly – putting recyclables empty, clean and dry into the recycling- those materials are kept out of the landfill, decreasing greenhouse gases and also the need to create more products out of virgin materials,鈥澨鼿arrison听said. 听鈥淥ur recent听Bridge to Circularity听report makes the connection between global brands that have pledged to make 100 percent of their plastic packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025, and the need for residents to help supply them with recycled materials in order to make that happen. The recycling system of the future is about collecting all materials. Recycling these valuable natural resources is one thing that many people can do right now to create a healthier planet and stronger communities.鈥�
DIYSigns is an online tool with editable templates available in a variety of sizes from a bumper sticker to a poster 鈥� to fit just right wherever it鈥檚 needed. The tool is available by going to The Recycling Partnership鈥檚 website and signing up with contact information at听recyclingpartnership.org/DIYSigns. Social Media Kit v.3 is a downloadable tool with an editorial calendar of posts and images that can be used year-round by communities and is available at听recyclingpartnership.org/socialkit