CRRA 2022 Conference & Tradeshow

Research Analyst

A recently completed study on successful strategies in addressing contamination examined more than two dozen options.  The project examined “usual suspect” local choices related to program design, education, processing improvements and other options to identify those with the biggest impact and lowest cost.  In addition to case study information, detailed modeling work examines the tradeoffs from including and excluding specific materials and specific “advanced” processing technologies (robots, optical scanners, etc.) on diversion, costs and profitability, and how the results are affected by market prices and disposal fees.  The results of this study provide best practices to help communities and haulers make successful choices in cleaning up the recycling stream.

Public Information Manager

In spring 2021, the City of San José’s Environmental Services Department conducted a successful pilot program to improve residents’ recycling behavior by providing recycling cart lids with trilingual (English, Spanish and Vietnamese) labels showing what is recyclable and what isn’t. The program sampled recycling material from nearly 5,000 single-family homes along five collection routes in north and east San José where the graphic labels had been distributed. The contamination rates along those routes dropped by an average of 20 percent.

 In the conference workshop, the presenters will talk about:

• Problem: Contaminated recyclable materials in recycling containers
• Reaching Spanish and Vietnamese speaking audiences
• Program Operations: Working with a hauler on how to deploy new cartlids w graphics
• Visual graphics conveying what to recycle and what not to
• San José’s major Recycle Right campaign
• Results of the pilot program
• Next Steps

Deputy Director

In spring 2021, the City of San José’s Environmental Services Department conducted a successful pilot program to improve residents’ recycling behavior by providing recycling cart lids with trilingual (English, Spanish and Vietnamese) labels showing what is recyclable and what isn’t. The program sampled recycling material from nearly 5,000 single-family homes along five collection routes in north and east San José where the graphic labels had been distributed. The contamination rates along those routes dropped by an average of 20 percent.

 In the conference workshop, the presenters will talk about:

• Problem: Contaminated recyclable materials in recycling containers
• Reaching Spanish and Vietnamese speaking audiences
• Program Operations: Working with a hauler on how to deploy new cartlids w graphics
• Visual graphics conveying what to recycle and what not to
• San José’s major Recycle Right campaign
• Results of the pilot program
• Next Steps

Recycling & Public Education Manager

Contamination continues to be a hurdle for all of our recycling and composting programs.  As a hauler, recycler and composter, Napa Recycling deals with this at multiple levels of collection and processing. SB 1383 includes multiple requirements for regular route reviews and facility sampling audits, and Tim will give a first glimpse at how jurisdictions and haulers can use these SB 1383 flip-the-lid reviews and facility audits to help understand, monitor and reduce contamination.