Chicago Go Bagless campaign hit by rising contamination rate

By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)

March 02, 2016 05:31:49 AM

CHICAGO (Scrap Monster): The City reports indicates significant rise in contamination rates since the launch of ‘Go Bagless’ campaign two months back. Over 36,000 blue recycling carts have been slapped with ‘contamination’ stickers during this period.

As part of the evolving recycling process, Chicago had banned residents from placing recyclables in bags effective Jan 1st this year. Instead, residents were required to place their recyclables in the blue cart loose without a bag. In order to communicate the information to residents, the Department of Streets and Sanitation had launched a public education campaign. The campaign was initially considered as a lead up to penalties.

The City authorities stated that they are not planning to impose immediate fines on residents who violate the law. The new orange-colored warning stickers are designed to educate residents on what material has been thrown incorrectly into the bin. Also, the Department of Streets and Sanitation’s Neighborhood Outreach Team will continue recycling presentations at community meetings as part of education campaigns.

Haulers had noted that dropping of recyclables in bags makes it difficult for them to ensure that only non-recyclable materials are part of recycling stream. Also, they had indicated about the chances of these bags causing damage to equipment at sorting facilities. By placing recyclables loose in the cart, it becomes easy for haulers to identify non-recyclable materials.

Chicago’s single-stream recycling program accepts wide range of materials including plastic containers, glass, metals, cartons and paper. The items from the recycling cart are taken to a recycling facility where they are sorted by materials and then sold to manufacturers to make new products.