Chicago "Blue Bag" Recycling
Plastics Recycling
Wisconsin Agricultural Clean Sweeps

Chicago's citywide "blue bag" residential recycling program has received mixed reviews but is an ambitious effort.⁴³ Under the Chicago approach, residents are requested to purchase blue bags for recycling. Newspapers, magazines, and other paper products are to be placed in one blue bag, with glass, metal, and plastics placed in another.⁴⁴ This approach allows the city to use existing packer trucks on established trash collection routes to collect both residential waste and the bagged recyclables. Waste Management, Inc. operates the conveyors, belting, and sorting equipment needed to process the more than 1.2 million tons of refuse expected to pass through the system annually.⁴⁵

"Everything gets picked up by a city garbage truck," explained Bob Wysocki, a Waste Management, Inc. spokesman."The trash is delivered to one of four sorting centers and the blue bags are immediately opened and sorted. [Blue bag waste] is easier to sort, and it's cleaner, meaning we can divert more from the landfill."⁴⁶

Chicago invested $41 million in the construction of four garbage sorting centers. Waste Management, Inc. contributed an additional $30 million for the facilities, which the company designed and will maintain over the next six years, as required by a city contract.⁴⁷

One focus of the Chicago approach was to make recycling less time-consuming for the public. For example, recyclable materials may be placed in the blue bags and dropped down a garbage chute, rather than carried to the site of public recycling bins.⁴⁸

The blue bag recycling effort was implemented at the beginning of 1996. Early experiences with the Chicago approach have demonstrated some difficulties. According to Chicago officials, only 7.3 % of the city's trash was recycled in May. By the end of the year, 10% of the city's garbage was targeted for recycling, with an Illinois goal of 25% recycling in 1997.⁴⁹

Only 20% to 25% of Chicago residents were estimated to be participating in the program. If half of city households recycle, the savings generated could reduce the cost of garbage collection. In Chicago suburbs, participation rates were as high as 90%, but most suburbs did not ask residents to purchase recycling bags.

"Studies have shown that 80% of residential waste is recyclable or compostable, but the city's goal is to recycle 25%," said Anne Irving, Director of the Chicago Recycling Coalition. "The concern is economic as well as environmental; landfill space is declining and the rates are increasing."

The Chicago Recycling Coalition surveyed the communities where recycling was to take place. "The most striking observation was the poor participation in communities of low-income people," Irving said. The expense of special bags could be a reason, so the Coalition urged the City of Chicago to consider providing free blue bags in some areas.

"We're going to tailor marketing programs to specific communities and work with community organizations and schools," said Ken Davis, a spokesman for the Chicago Department of the Environment. "There are going to be hurdles to overcome. But once they are, this program could be a model for big-city recycling."

The city pays a "tip fee" to dump or tip garbage into landfills, which is priced by weight. If less garbage is dumped, then the city, and potentially the taxpayer, pays less. "The intention is to save money," Davis explained. Waste Management, Inc. is responsible for the sale of recyclables. "They make the profit, which is okay with us. The city is protected even if the markets are poor."⁵⁰


Plastics Recycling

Providing for ready recycling has been a primary concern with respect to plastics packaging. The initial regulation of plastics packaging consisted of outright bans in some states and cities. California prohibits plastic grocery and shopping bags unless the bags are made of recycled plastic.⁵¹ Florida bans polystyrene foam products for use in food containers.⁵² Mandatory plastics recycling laws have been enacted in California, Florida, Oregon, and Wisconsin. A major problem with plastics recycling, however, is implementing a recovery infrastructure. To develop a sustainable plastics recovery infrastructure, the Association of Post Consumer Plastic Recyclers, Inc., a trade association of plastic recylers, has urged "meaningful demand-side intiatives."⁵³


Wisconsin Agricultural Clean Sweeps

The Agricultural Clean Sweep Program has been helping Wisconsin farmers dispose of banned, cancelled, damaged, or other wise unwanted pesticides and farm chemicals along with empty pesticide containers since 1990. The Environmental Protection Agency program operates as an annual, competitive grant program for Wisconsin counties. County residents must grow or produce agricultural commodities to be eligible for program participation. Counties provide a $5,000 coats-shore match along with a local coordinator, volunteers, and a collection site. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection provides technical and education assistance along with funding. The program waste hauler is Advanced Environmental Technical Services. Virtually all of the farm chemicals are incinerated in Sarget, Illinois or Port Arthur, Texas. Incineration ash is stored in a hazardous waste landfill in Emelle, Arkansas. Clean Sweeps held in 1995 resulted in the safe disposal of 158,087 pounds of farm chemicals. Nearly 24% of the wastestream was comprised of banned or cancelled products.⁵⁴