From: A Smorgasbord of Recycling Equipment Choices
Commingled Recycling May Be Spreading
Commingled recycling seems to be spreading, except in rural areas and small towns with dropoff recycling programs—but the trend isn’t clearly defined. Some jurisdictions are just starting to commingle; others have tried it and resumed sorting at the collection point.
Dr. Lisa Skumatz of Skumatz Economic Research Associates in Superior, CO, a consultant in econometrics, specializes in recycling and other resource issues. She attributes the spread of commingled curbside collection to “a fairly significant savings in collection costs” coupled with “a commitment by large corporate waste haulers that are recycling privately, under contract with cities, or through franchise arrangements, and modifying their facilities to handle these materials.”
Holding recycling program design and other factors constant, Skumatz says:
- Where landfill costs are higher, garbage collection costs are higher, and people tend to recycle more.
- Recycling percentages are higher in suburban communities and lower in rural areas. The inner city falls between these extremes.
- Communities with the highest recycling percentages are those with a relatively high income or educational level, a higher percentage of single-family homes, and a lower percentage of residents speaking English as a second language.
“But it’s not as simple as language,” she says. “Culture is important. You can promote recycling in a second language through methods appealing to that culture. If cultural differences imply that it’s not okay for a parent to learn from a child, then school programs may not be the way to go. In some cultures the church plays a major role, so that may be an important community method of learning new ideas.”
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Efficacy also has an effect, Skumatz says. In one survey, she asked respondents to agree or disagree with statements such as “What I do makes a difference, regardless of what others do.” She found that deeply held attitudes about making a difference helped to explain who participated in recycling, and who recycled more. In one community, she says, “we found 11% more recycling for the more self-efficacious people.”
On a regional basis, Skumatz says, recycling is strongest on the West Coast and weakest in the Southeast. “The Southeast has a higher percentage of communities with twice-a-week pickup of garbage,” she notes. “That’s a disincentive to recycling. They get too much service.”
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July-August 2005
From: A Smorgasbord of Recycling Equipment Choices
Commingled Recycling May Be Spreading
Commingled recycling seems to be spreading, except in rural areas and small towns with dropoff recycling programs—but the trend isn’t clearly defined. Some jurisdictions are just starting to commingle; others have tried it and resumed sorting at the collection point. Dr. Lisa Skumatz of Skumatz Economic Research Associates in Superior, CO, a consultant in econometrics, specializes in recycling and other resource issues. She attributes the spread of commingled curbside collection to “a fairly significant savings in collection costs” coupled with “a commitment by large corporate waste haulers that are recycling privately, under contract with cities, or through franchise arrangements, and modifying their facilities to handle these materials.”
Holding recycling program design and other factors constant, Skumatz says:
- Where landfill costs are higher, garbage collection costs are higher, and people tend to recycle more.
- Recycling percentages are higher in suburban communities and lower in rural areas. The inner city falls between these extremes.
- Communities with the highest recycling percentages are those with a relatively high income or educational level, a higher percentage of single-family homes, and a lower percentage of residents speaking English as a second language.
“But it’s not as simple as language,” she says. “Culture is important. You can promote recycling in a second language through methods appealing to that culture. If cultural differences imply that it’s not okay for a parent to learn from a child, then school programs may not be the way to go. In some cultures the church plays a major role, so that may be an important community method of learning new ideas.”
Efficacy also has an effect, Skumatz says. In one survey, she asked respondents to agree or disagree with statements such as “What I do makes a difference, regardless of what others do.” She found that deeply held attitudes about making a difference helped to explain who participated in recycling, and who recycled more. In one community, she says, “we found 11% more recycling for the more self-efficacious people.”
On a regional basis, Skumatz says, recycling is strongest on the West Coast and weakest in the Southeast. “The Southeast has a higher percentage of communities with twice-a-week pickup of garbage,” she notes. “That’s a disincentive to recycling. They get too much service.”
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