Connecticut City Sees Jump in Recycling Participation Rate

Bill Finch, the mayor of Bridgeport, Conn., has reported a sharp jump in the city’s recycling participation rate, and attributed much of the increase to the city’s switch to single-stream recycling, as well as the expansion of its Recyclebank rewards program citywide. 

Mayor Finch says the city’s recycling participation rate increased by 67 percent compared to the previous two-year period. 

“Increasing recycling rates is one of the highest priorities of our BGreen2020 initiative. We know that increasing recycling rates means a cleaner community for the residents of Bridgeport, a lower carbon footprint and money saved for the city,” Mayor Finch says. “During my tenure as mayor, we have launched several initiatives to help improve our recycling efforts, including switching to single-stream recycling, increasing outreach efforts thanks to the Mayor’s Conservation Corps and rewarding residents for recycling thanks to Recyclebank, who has been instrumental in our success and has been a great partner.”

Bridgeport’s BGreen2020 initiative was introduced in 2008 to create jobs, save residents money and reduce Bridgeport’s carbon footprint. BGreen’s efforts also included the introduction of single-stream recycling and the distribution of 64-gallon rollout carts to the city’s households in September 2011. 

Along with boosting its participation rate, the city also says it has avoided about $130,000 per year in tip fees and earned more than $100,000 in new revenue from its participation in Southwest Connecticut Regional Recycling Operating Committee (SWEROC), the regional multitown group that encourages regional cooperation on recycling.