“…contamination rates have in many ways become the most important metric in the recycling sector.” — Waste Dive
Recycling contamination is costing businesses millions. It is one of the biggest hidden costs in commercial waste management. Across the U.S., an estimated 25% of all recyclables are contaminated, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That means one in four items collected for recycling ends up in the landfill instead — wasting resources, driving up disposal costs and undermining sustainability goals.
Reducing recycling contamination is one of the fastest ways to reduce waste, improve diversion rates and cut waste management expenses. It is also of the easiest ways to make immediate progress toward zero waste. Addressing contamination is how businesses can reduce waste even if they continue to generate the same amount of waste.
What is Recycling Contamination?
Recycling contamination happens when unaccepted or non-recyclable materials end up in the recycling stream. Common recycling contaminants include:
- Food and liquids
- Plastic bags and plastic film
- Tanglers, such as string lights, wire hangers and electrical cords
- Ceramics and broken glass
- Disposable diapers
- Textiles
- Electronics
- Hazardous materials
Even a small amount of contamination can turn an entire batch of recyclables into trash. For example, if food is left in containers or liquids leak into paper recyclables, the whole load can be rejected by recycling facilities.
The Rising Cost of Contamination: Why Clean Recycling Streams Matter
When recyclables are contaminated, they cannot be recycled and are treated as trash. This means that your contaminated recycling is likely headed to the landfill. In other words, they lose their value, and you pay for their removal. Businesses may end up paying twice — once for recycling collection, and again for landfill disposal when the contaminated recyclables are rejected.
In addition, contamination also creates operational and safety challenges. Recycling contaminants like plastic bags and wires can damage recycling machines and hazardous waste can be dangerous for workers. As a result, many businesses are being charged higher waste and recycling fees by service providers to deal with the contamination problem.
Compounding the issue, recycling bans by countries such as China, Malaysia and Vietnam have limited global markets for contaminated scrap and contributed to rising rates. Until new markets for recyclables open up, or better alternatives for processing recycling present themselves, U.S. recycling must clean up its act.
How to Reduce Recycling Contamination in Six Steps
The good news: contamination can be reduced dramatically. Great Forest developed this six-step framework to help organizations protect the value of their recyclables, improve diversion rates, help lower costs and avoid the hidden consequences of contamination.
1. Educate and Engage
Education is the foundation of every successful recycling program. We’ve worked with thousands of buildings and businesses over the years to teach staff and tenants how to recycle right, from rinsing containers and keeping materials dry to knowing what belongs in each bin. Make sure your staff and tenants understand your recycling program, what is accepted and how to use it.
Stakeholder engagement and education is the secret to recycling success. No business or building can achieve their waste reduction and sustainability goals without the active involvement of its various stakeholders. When staff and tenants know what to do, they become active participants and champions in your sustainability journey.
2. Train Janitorial Crews
Once workers leave for the night, janitorial crews arrive to move waste and recycling to central collection points. Mistakes made by janitorial crews can negate all the effort your staff and tenants put into recycling. For example, cleaners might place a half-filled beverage cup they find on a desk into the recycling bin. This contaminates all the recyclables, turning them into trash.
Ensure cleaning crews know how to handle waste and recyclables correctly, and reinforce that their role is essential to maintaining clean, uncontaminated recycling streams.
3. Use Clear Signage and Standardized Labels
Confusion leads to contamination. Use consistent, color-coded signage and standardized recycling signs and labels to help staff and visitors make the right choice every time. Ensure your signs are clear and visible and placed in or near waste collection areas.
Effective signage also keeps your facility in compliance with local recycling laws, helping you avoid fines while improving recycling accuracy.
4. Conduct A Waste Audit
A waste audit gives you a clear picture of what is happening in your recycling stream and more. It measures contamination rates, tracks trends over time and reveals where recyclables are being lost to the trash.
A waste audit can also give you other crucial data. According to the largest global waste characterization study, which includes data from over 100 waste audits conducted by Great Forest, a staggering 62% of material found in commercial trash streams is NOT trash at all, but is made up of materials that could be diverted.
With this data, businesses can make targeted improvements to reduce recycling waste.
5. Develop An Effective Waste and Recycling Program
A recycling program isn’t one-size-fits-all. It has to align with how your building or business actually operates. Inefficient collection systems, misplaced bins or confusing workflows can all increase recycling contamination without anyone realizing it.
That’s why program design is key. When Great Forest helped a large financial services firm in New York City transition from deskside bins to a centralized waste and recycling system, the company achieved a 75% reduction in recyclable materials thrown in the trash, with fewer contamination mistakes overall.
We understood that recycling behavior could be improved with better bin placement, clear signage and logistical adjustments. With centralized recycling bins located in pantries, workers could more easily empty out or rinse their recyclable containers before placing them in the proper bins. Read the full case study.
Download our free white paper to learn more about the centralized system.
6. Close That Loop. Move Towards Zero Waste
One of the best ways to reduce recycling contamination is to generate less waste in the first place.
With rising waste and recycling costs and increasing regulations regarding recycling, the only long term sustainable solution lies in adopting zero waste strategies and reaping the many benefits.
Zero waste strategies focus on reduction, reuse and efficient recycling. They don’t mean producing no waste at all — rather, they mean producing less waste and ensuring what’s generated stays in circulation as a resource.
For businesses, moving toward zero waste can lead to lower costs, cleaner recycling streams and improved sustainability performance. Moving towards zero waste is an achievable goal for every businesses. Here’s how to move towards zero waste in 3 steps.
Ready to Stop Contamination Before It Costs you?
Recycling contamination costs businesses money, time and progress toward sustainability goals. The solution is within reach.
Great Forest helps organizations of all sizes identify the causes of contamination, develop practical recycling solutions and train teams to keep materials clean and valuable.
Work through our six-step strategy, or contact Great Forest for a customized recycling contamination assessment. Together, we can protect the value of your recyclables and move your organization closer to zero waste.
Photo: Nils Schirmer, Unsplash