Good afternoon,
I have a question about a trend we are seeing in a CBSM multi-family housing recycling project in the Greater Vancouver area.
I am putting out a call for alternative theories for the question: why did garbage AND recycling rates both drop in the past 6 months?
Initial research into this question seems to be explained by a wider trend in a downturn in the economy = less people buying goods = less waste.
However, a small Zero Waste Neighbourhood project saw garbage fall by 80% and recycling by 50%, which suggests people are modifying their consumption.
I am wondering if others who are tracking records of garbage and recycling rates have seen this trend and how might it be alternatively explained?
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Aileen
Aileen Penner
Research Assistant
Metro Vancouver
Canada
Reduction in Garbage & Recycling Rates
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Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality's annual "Material Recovery and Waste Generation Report" for 2008 found that per capita waste generation declined 9.3% for 2008. From report "As a rough proxy for consumption, this drop in per capita waste generation suggests that Oregonians are buying and using less. While some of this decline is due to the sluggish economy, individuals and businesses are also making changes that may help to keep waste generation on lower levels even after the economy improves."
Cindy Brown
Coordinator
TriCounty Hazardous Waste & Recycling Program
United States
...
I've been looking at New York City data and see similar things. (I've lent the dataset to a student, so can't be more specific at the moment). As to why, the Sanitation department does not say. Until someone goes out with questionnaires, which I've done in the past for research on knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, we won't know why. See www.maggieclarkeenvironmental.com for links to research.
Maggie Clarke
Maggie Clarke Environmental
United States
www.maggieclarkeenvironmental.com