Sep 21, 2009 6:41 pm US/Eastern
Baltimore Sees Recycling Surge, Trash Pickup Fall
BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP) ―
Baltimore officials say city trucks are picking up 53 percent more recyclables since the city cut back on trash collection and increased recycling pickups in July.
As
Mike Schuh reports, the city is surprised that its new trash plan is going much better than expected.
When the city announced one trash day and one recycling day, many thought it would fail.
There were bumps in the alley, so the speak, but what surprised officials was how successful the recycling day has become.
"It's been really successful. We're surprised how successful. We're seeing a dramatic increase in the tonage we're collecting weekly," said Celeste Amato, Department of Public Works.
The Bureau of Solid Waste had projected picking up 40 percent more recyclables after a year of the new schedule, but surpassed that number in weeks.
The city hauled away an average of 8,000 tons of garbage and 636 tons of recyclables every two weeks before. But now officials say the city picks up an average of 5,700 tons of garbage and 970 tons of recyclables every two weeks.
The spike in recycling is due to people getting rid of things they used to consider trash, but it's now going into the recycling barrel.
"I think a lot of people were recycling, but they're recycling even more because it's that much easier. They don't have to sort anymore because they can put it all in one container on one day," said Amato.
The city turns over all the recyclables to a private company which separates the plastic, metal and paper and resells them for resuse.
The city has also stepped up enforcement, issuing 434 citations for illegal dumping in the first two weeks of September. That's compared with seven citations for illegal dumping in the corresponding period last year.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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