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Louisville, Ky., Releases Results of Two-Year Solid Waste Study
The results show significant unrealized potential for landfill diversion.
1 Min Read
Photo: Amina Elahi
The Louisville, Ky., Metro Department of Public Works has released the results of a third-party study on the county’s waste management system. The study, which was conducted over two years, found that citizens and businesses in Jefferson County threw away roughly half of all materials that could have been recycled or composted.
The results showed that the construction and demolition sector performed the best in terms of keeping material out of the landfill, diverting 81 percent of materials. Among the biggest takeaways is the potential impact of increased recycling participation in the residential sector. Currently, roughly 30 percent of residential customers participate in recycling programs.
WFPL has more information:
Flood said it is important to look for new technologies and methods that would help divert even more materials from landfill than is possible now. And he said there could be economic benefits to doing that.
“Change doesn’t always have to be more expensive. Change to divert more could lead to savings,” he said. “We have to, whenever we’re making decisions to divert more, also look at the economics behind it and to make it as efficient and divert as much as possible.”
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