Florida County Concludes Pilot Program

Residents of Indian River County, Vero Beach, Fla., increased curbside recycling by more than 20 percent during a pilot program this summer.

Beginning late spring 2005, the Indian River County Solid Waste Disposal District (SWDD) joined forces with the Washington D.C.-based Aluminum Can Council (ACC) in a three-month pilot program called “Bin There. Done That!” The goal of the partnership was to encourage more residents participate in the curbside recycling program and to increase the volume and the value of materials recycled.

After the pilot was completed, samples were taken and compared to the amount of recycled materials collected during the same period in 1004. According to a press release issued by the ACC, the results showed a 22 percent increase in co-mingled materials (aluminum, steel, plastics and glass) during the pilot period compared to the same months in 2004. Additionally, the pilot recorded a 37 percent increase in collection of fiber materials.

"We are extremely pleased with the results," Polly Kratman, managing director of SWDD, says. "We challenged our residents to recycle more and they did. More people now know and understand that recycling is beneficial to our environment and our community."

“This pilot confirms that ongoing and consistent communication and education to residents about the importance of recycling and the availability of curbside will lift participation,” according to the ACC release.

The ACC's involvement in the pilot is part of a national partnership program called the Curbside Value Partnership in which municipalities, recycling facilities and other third parties work together to promote curbside recycling and to increase the participation rate and the amount of high-value aluminum captured.

"Nationwide the average participation rate in curbside is 58 percent. Any growth in this is will yield more aluminum and other materials and is applauded by the industry," Steve Thompson, director of recycling initiatives for the ACC, says. "We hope that more communities will learn from this experience and will take communications seriously, budget accordingly and come to us for help. We have free resources they can tap into."

During the pilot, the SWDD joined forces with Keep Indian River Beautiful (KIRB) to spread the word about the value of curbside recycling to critical audiences including students, parents and teachers.  Pilot activities included media outreach and school visits by KIRB Executive Director Sherry Hamlin. "Garbby," the county's recycling mascot, made special appearances at area schools, Earth Day gatherings and other special events. Additionally, through an arrangement with KIRB and Dodgertown, recycling messages were conveyed at the L.A. Dodger's Spring Training Games.

The SWDD also distributed flyers with facts and information on recycling at the county's five Convenience Centers where area residents throw away their own materials if they chose not to contract with county's two haulers for garbage collection. Materials such as cardboard, magazines, office paper and used motor oil may be recycled at the Convenience Centers. 

More information on Bin There. Done That! is available from Sarah Nichols at the Indian River County Solid Waste Disposal District at (772) 770-5112 or at www.RecycleCurbside.org.