According to local press reports, a curbside recycling program in one of Chicago’s neighborhoods has resulted in an 80 percent participation rate. However, the program would cost the city an additional $35 million, a price level that might make it cost prohibitive to convert the whole city to the new method.
Since this spring residents in a Southwest suburb have been placing their recyclables in 96-gallon containers. These containers are collected once a month and delivered to Resource Management, a Chicago Ridge recycling facility.
The participation rate is far greater than Chicago’s controversial blue bag program, which saw a participation rate of less than 15 percent. Under this program city residents placed recycling bags in with their regular trash pickup.
Under the new program, residents would have a container dedicated exclusively to recyclables. Sending out the trucks to just collect recyclables would be the main reason for the higher cost.
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