We’re recycling more…and interested in expanding

Apr 23rd, 2013 – by 0

A survey on recycling shows more people are doing it (purple for 2005, yellow for 2008, and blue for 2012).

Good job, Kansas City.

A new study from the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) shows almost 70 percent of you are recycling more than you did five years ago. And you favor expanding and improving waste reduction and recycling even more.

Here are details from MARC:

Between October 2012 and January 2013, the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Solid Waste Management District conducted a recycling survey of residents in the nine-county Kansas City metro area. The survey results will help the district evaluate current recycling activities and awareness, determine what recycling services residents would like to see in the future, and determine focus areas for expanded services and outreach priorities.  The district also compared results with 2005 and 2008 survey data to determine how citizens’ values, behavior and awareness levels have changed.

Some of the most telling survey results:

  • Residents’ satisfaction with three key recycling services increased from 2008 to 2012: Satisfaction with curbside recycling service was up 20 percent; satisfaction with yard waste collection and composting services was up 9 percent; and satisfaction with the location of drop-off recycling centers was up 7 percent.
  • More than two-thirds of residents feel their community is performing well in terms of its commitment to recycling.
  • There is a significant increase in the number of residents who reported they were recycling everything possible — from 39 percent in 2008 to 57 percent in 2012.
  • 58 percent of area residents are willing to recycle their food waste curbside.
  • The top services that area residents would like to see offered or expanded in their community are materials accepted curbside, household hazardous waste collection services, glass container recycling services, and computers/electronics recycling services.
  • There is a significant increase in support for area local governments to implement mandatory recycling for residents, businesses and institutions.
  • More than 90 percent of area residents feel local government should play a leadership or supportive role in educating residents about and developing policies on waste reduction and recycling.
  • 60 percent of area residents are willing to pay for their trash services based on the amount of trash they set out for disposal. This “pay-as-you-throw” concept typically increases recycling and reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills.

“It’s great to see this level increase in participation and support,” says Matt Riggs, outreach coordinator for the MARC Solid Waste Management District. “But we have a long way to go. About 70 to 85 percent of the average person’s trash is recyclable, but as a region we’re only recycling around 25 percent of our trash today.”

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