The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is partnering with The Recycling Partnership for an in-depth study of the nation’s curbside recycling programs, which will gather data from 400 programs.
“The breadth and depth of data this project will produce, coupled with the meaningful analysis of trends and potential areas of improvement, will allow the EPA to more effectively support communities through their transitions to sustainable materials management,” EPA Region 4 Division Director Alan Farmer said. “The potential for positive impact cannot be overstated, and our collaboration with The Recycling Partnership is shaping up to be fruitful indeed.”
The study will collect and analyze data on 17 distinct markers for each curbside program evaluated, which are primarily located within EPA regions 3, 4 and 5 and included the most populated cities in each of those regions’ states. Data gathering has already begun and is expected to finish this September, with the study’s analysis being released in October.
“The secondary material stream begins with local programs, and there is a great deal of untapped potential there,” The Recycling Partnership Technical Assistance Lead Cody Marshall said. “Looking at snapshots of programs across the country will allow us to cross-reference best practices and pinpoint opportunities to increase recovery. Those insights will in turn allow national and federal organizations to create targeted action plans.”
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