People’s Choice Session: Cleaning Up Contamination at the Curb (Public Sector) (WasteExpo 2019)

Material demand from end markets drives environmental gains. All stakeholders - residents, municipalities, haulers, Material Recovery Facility (MRF) operators - need to play a part in building a stronger recycling industry. In this presentation, The Recycling Partnership will share results from their state and regional work, including how they brought stakeholders together, created a comprehensive outreach strategy, and created replicable protocols that can be applied in communities across the state. Specifically, Chris and Kurt will focus on The Partnership's work in El Paso, TX, where the city launched successful pilot and citywide programs, and how their efforts to curb contamination resulted in regionalized tagging protocols in neighboring communities. Outcomes will include an in-depth discussion of how communication at the household level and operational best management practices at the curb work together to drive behavior change and improve capture and quality of recyclables.

Moderator: Carmen Smothers, Environmental Solutions Group
Speakers: Cody Marshall, The Recycling Partnership; Kurt Fenstermacher, City of El Paso, TX