Some South African cities are putting their toes in the waters of voluntary household kerbside collection for recyclables. Some questions arise:
1. How are the existing non-profit (eg schools) and small scale operators dealt with so they are not negatively affected by reduced volumes - because the municipal option is now much easier for householders?
2. What are considered good/bad householder participation rates, and over what period (months/quarters) are optimum/stable rates usually reached - any trends/graphs of these also correlating to suburbs' income levels
3. Any examples that people are okay to share, offline or on, of best-practice social marketing/public education programmes to introduce kerbside collection to residents. Any 'developing country' or less-resourced area's examples would be welcome as well.
Your feedback/learnings much appreciated,
Regards
Hugh Tyrrell
Tyrrell Associates
Environmental Communication & Consulting
Tel: (021) 44 - 88123
Cell: 083 - 253 4100.
Fax: (021) 44-88122
Email: [email protected]
10 Nuttal Road, Observatory.
PO Box 2341, Cape Town 8000
Website: www.tyrrellassociates.co.za
Introduction of Voluntary Recycling Kerbside Collection-Best Practice
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Hugh,
Our community of 4,800 started residential curbside recycling in 1994. We found the most effective way to start a recycling program was to use the school system. The age group we targeted was the 10 and 11 year olds. We spent a couple of hours one morning talking about the benefits of recycling and what was recyclable. It was amazing how 200 well informed children could impact a program. Because these children knew something that no on else knew they really wanted to share their knowledge with everyone that would listen. I had many parents contact me about what their children had been sharing with them and I was able to confirm that their children were correct. The parents had received the same information, but had not taken the time to read it. We have a community contract with a local collection company for pickup services every other week. A typical household will fill a 60 gallon container in that period. Over the last 14 years our community has consistently produced recycling volume averages at twice the State of Wisconsin (US)average. Our Department of Natural Resourses oversees the recycling program in our state and is always amazed at our success. We recycle almost 200 pounds of material per person per year. Income levels do not seem to be a factor. Non-residential properties need to contract for services directly with a local collector.
Mike Tolstoy
Director of Public Works
North Fond du Lac, WI 54937
[email protected]
Tel:(920)929-3765
Fax: (920)929-3964