Green Town Issues

Green Town Policy

Business Community

Communications

Energy

Environmental Toxins

Green Cleaning

Green Procurement

Land Management

Recycling

Sustainable Building

Transportation

Water Conservation

Recycling - Receptacles
Successful municipal recycling efforts depend on an educated community, a sense of shared purpose and strong public support for the goals of the program. The placement of convenient, well-marked receptacles in downtown retail areas and town parks is a key component in building awareness and support.

One major problem facing recycling managers is contamination of the waste stream. The following suggestions can be helpful:

• Locate recycling and trash receptacles near each other.

• Use brightly marked containers with clear signs, stickers, logos or other visual aids.

• Provide regular collection, particularly during special events or weekends.

• Provide containers with openings that accept only the desired recyclables (e.g., slits for paper, round openings sized for cans and bottles.

Who's Doing It Right
One of the most successful municipal recycling programs we found is the one conducted in Nantucket, Massachusetts . Read an extensive article about the history of the island's solid waste problem and its highly successful solution.

The City of St. Louis has compiled a list of recycled content recycling-container wholesalers. The list is not exhaustive, but provides a good starting point for the search of appropriate bins.