Stakeholders chime in for America Recycles Day

A call for recycling consistency, the launch of a multi-family recycling pilot program, and details on free local-program resources were among the announcements tied to America Recycles Day.

Brands demand change: The Consumer Brands Association (CBA) published a report calling on the U.S. government to standardize recycling across the country. Titled “Set up for Failure: How the Fragmented Approach to Recycling Fails Consumers and the Environment,” the document notes there are over 9,800 recycling systems across the U.S., each with unique rules and standards, leading to widespread confusion for consumers.  

SRO rebrand: The Indiana Recycling Coalition has renamed itself “Circular Indiana.” The state recycling association timed its rebrand, which includes a new website with educational materials and advocacy resources, to coincide with America Recycles Day. 

NBA partnership: Aluminum recycling and rolling company Novelis, which buys used beverage can (UBC) bales from MRFs, signed an agreement with the Atlanta Hawks NBA team and State Farm Arena. Through the multi-year deal, Novelis will become the official aluminum recycling partner of the arena, which is seeking to become a zero-waste venue under the Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) standard.

Multi-family recycling pilot: The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) announced the launch of a multi-family housing recycling pilot program. Launched with assistance from The Recycling Partnership and the city of Columbus, the six-month pilot project will be designed to reach up to 10,000 apartments and condominiums in complexes in Columbus to better understand strategies to improve multi-family housing recycling. The SWACO executive director discussed that and other efforts in an op-ed published by The Columbus Dispatch newspaper. 

Hauler messaging: Waste Management, Republic Services, and Casella Waste Systems shared information about their recycling activities and tips to help households properly recycle. 

Free program resources: The Recycling Partnership is offering free tools and resources for community recycling programs, including social media posts, a guide to influencing recycling behaviors, a multi-family recycling guide, electronics and battery management guide and more.