Chicago Taking Steps to Boost Recycling

Chicago city officials are launching a campaign to make recycling a more effective in the city.

"In 1994, only 3 percent of the trash produced by city residents was diverted from landfills. Today, with blue bags and sophisticated technology at our sorting centers, we now divert more than 25 percent of recyclables. With a better informed public we have substantially increased the number of Chicagoans who recycle," said Al Sanchez, commissioner of Chicago's Department of Streets & Sanitation

To boost the recycling levels, the city has taken several steps to increase participation.

Two years ago Allied Waste Industries offered the lowest per ton price on recovering recyclables under the residential blue bag program saving the City $6 million annually, however residential waste from City collection has not as yet met sorting centers' capacity.

Chicago plans to open up city owned facilities to accept third party recycling. The strategy is to create more opportunities for recycling in the city and thereby increase recycling rate.

In an agreement with AWI the city shares in a third of the revenue generated from sale of recyclables - one third goes to AWI, and the other third goes to the third party hauler. This will motivate haulers to keep recyclables away from landfills and go to Chicago's sorting centers.

The City also aims to develop a plan in which a portion of the proceeds from the third party recycling will be utilized to increase the amount of City of Chicago collected material that is sent to the sorting centers.

Further, last month the Chicago City Council approved an ordinance requiring construction and demolition sites to recycle a minimum of 25 percent of recyclable waste for building or demolition permits issued after January 2006, and 50 percent for building or demolition permits issued after January 2007.

New programs to educate, enforce and encourage recycling of hard to recycle materials are also being initiated, including: Education and enforcement activities to compel recycling in multi-family buildings, office buildings, restaurants, bars, other commercial buildings and construction sites.

DSS recycling inspectors are currently conducting random inspections to ensure compliance with recycling. A new, permanent facility for the safe disposal of hazardous household waste is being developed.

The city also is promoting the recycling and proper disposal of batteries.

The city also will be rolling out a program in several neighborhoods of the city. This program will move from the blue bag program that has operated in the city for ten years toward a separate blue bin program.

Beginning in April one ward in the city will start to use 96-gallon recycling bins instead of placing recyclables and solid waste in one container.