New Dallas Program Aims To Increase Recycling

A new wave in waste called single-stream recycling has some hoping to increase Dallas recycling participants and save landfill space.

Like most cities, Dallas has required separate bags for recycling. Those who want to recycle use a blue container for bottles and cans and paper sacks for paper. However, only about one in four households participate in recycling, which is well below the national average.

But in the new single-stream process, paper, plastic, glass and aluminum come in together to be recycled and are then sifted apart. The program is aimed to simplify recycling in an attempt to attract more participants in the program.

Allen and McKinney allow residents to dump all recyclables into one container, which resulted in an increase in participants.

"In those cities the volume went up over 100 percent, from 25 pounds per home per month, to over 50," said Greg Roemer, president and owner of Community Waste Disposal.

The new objective is for Dallas to do the same. Dallas residents can already start putting all recyclable materials together in one bag. Homeowners will see a four cent increase in the water bill this fall to accommodate the change. And next year, the city will provide each home with a large blue cart for the single-stream recycling program.

"If we recycle at the rate that this program allows, we could save two months of landfill space every year," said Mary Nix, assistant director with the City of Dallas Department of Sanitation.

Single-stream recycling is a complex process that is starting by hand with a series of rumbling trays and conveyor belts to divide the waste and package it for sale. Plastic is pressed into 1,500 pound bales.

"This is a revenue source," Roemer said. "So, the cleaner we can make it, the more revenue we can create out of the materials."

Community Waste Disposal just spent $5 million upgrading their plant to accommodate the single-stream process. WFAA