A task force formed to study recycling in St. Louis has recommended that the city move its waste collection from the alleyway to the curbs. 鈥淲e decided that we really wanted to bring recycling home. We didn鈥檛 like the idea that recycling was far away,鈥� Sustainability Director Elysia Russell said Monday as the task force presented its preliminary recommendations to Mayor Cara Spencer.
The task force was born out of the city鈥檚 decision in August to stop collecting recycling from alley dumpsters due to high levels of contamination. Trash, yard waste and bulk pickup are still collected from alley dumpsters. Recycling is collected at about 40 drop-off locations throughout the city.
About 20% of homes in St. Louis already use roll carts for waste collection. The group of 13 people spent about five months studying a new waste collection system in the city. It recommended shifting to universal roll carts. One cart would be used for trash and yard waste, which would be picked up on separate days. Customers could request a second roll cart for single-stream recycling at no extra cost.
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Author: Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio