According to a study from The Recycling Partnership, large and mid-sized cities in California see an average contamination rate of around 20%, a finding that underscores the complications of aligning enthusiastic residents with local-program realities.

The Recycling Partnership, an organization that is backed by corporate stakeholders and is geared toward improving municipal recycling in the U.S., undertook research in 2019 to better understand material quality in communities of 50,000 people or more in California, Oregon and Washington.

The organization compiled available program data; surveyed local officials, haulers, processors and residents; and conducted interviews and focus groups. The findings, released May 4, deliver some notable numbers.

Continue Reading at Resource Recycling