Recycling Coming!

Release Date: Tuesday, July 22nd 2008

Look for the new blue cans around Downtown beginning July 28. That’s when the Downtown BID and the Department of Public Works (DPW) will launch a pilot program of public recycling, placing 25 recycling cans in locations throughout the Downtown BID area. The lidded recycling cans will be placed in high pedestrian areas next to existing trash receptacles. The pilot program, part of the Downtown BID’s “Greening Downtown DC” initiative, runs for six months.

The goal is simple: divert glass and plastic bottles, aluminum cans and clean paper products from collected waste to help conserve natural resources by making it easy for workers, residents and visitors to do the right thing.

To begin the process, the Downtown BID first analyzed trash can contents throughout the BID area and determined that recyclables ranged from as little as 10% in some locations to as much as 95% in others--with plastic bottles dominating the recyclable pool. That data has helped the Downtown BID determine locations-–metro entrances, tourist attractions, public parks and food courts—where the pilot could achieve the highest recycling rates.

Stay tuned. The Downtown BID will monitor and report each recycling can’s contents to gauge the effectiveness of each location type where the cans are placed. Ultimately, the goal is to expand the program—where appropriate—so the Downtown BID can recycle a large portion of the more than 13,000 bags of trash that it now collects monthly.