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Residential Curbside Recycling
 
In 1985, the state legislature adopted a law that created residential curbside recycling programs in every county of the state. The objective was to make recycling more convenient, thus reducing the amount of garbage going to the state’s landfills and other waste disposal facilities. At the time, disposal rates were climbing rapidly. While the pace of disposal rate increases has slowed since then, recycling has become a critical component of our state’s waste management strategy.

Why we recycle
Recycling can reduce your garbage bill. We pay the same for recycling whether we put out one aluminum can or 30 pounds of paper, cans, and bottles. In contrast, the more garbage we put out, the more we pay. By recycling, we can put less trash in the can and keep more cash in our checking account.

Because we have to sort our recyclable materials, recycling forces us to become more aware of the stuff we throw away, such as excessive packing. By becoming more aware of what we throw away, we can be more careful about what we buy. By buying more cautiously and reusing more items, we save money.

A state study showed that in spite of our state’s 30 percent recycling rate, roughly 1.6 million tons of readily recyclable material is still tossed away. The dollar value of this lost recycling is about $114 million, or roughly $20 for every person in the state.

Who decides what is recycled and how
Local governments decide what is recycled. These decisions are made through a solid waste management plan approved by local governing officials. Most programs collect newspapers, glass containers, tin cans and aluminum. Some collect mixed paper, household batteries, certain plastic containers, yardwaste and motor oil. Some programs require all materials be separated; others do not. Collection frequency varies between programs. If you have any suggestions about how your program should be designed, contact the solid waste division of your city or county.

How rates are set
If your garbage and recyclables are picked up by a private company that is not under contract with a city, the UTC oversees the company’s operations and billing to ensure that customers receive quality service at fair rates. When a hauler proposes a rate increase, UTC staff review financial data and receive comments from customers regarding the proposal as well as service quality. The commission can approve the rate increase or postpone it pending further investigation of the company’s proposal.

Why you pay for residential recycling even if you don’t use it
Most counties and cities require all residential garbage customers to pay for curbside recycling service even if they do not use it. The reason is two-fold. First, having everyone pay for the program keeps the per customer cost relatively small. Second, if customers have to pay for the service, they are more likely to recycle. As further incentive, some counties, such as Pierce and Thurston, impose a penalty on customers who do not recycle.

Why recycling does not pay for itself
Commercial recycling, that is recycling done by businesses and factories, can be cost effective because the quantities and quality of the recycled materials make for a valuable product. But collection of residential materials is more labor intensive, involving a wide variety of materials, not all of which have much value.

Even when recyclable commodity prices are high, they are not able to cover the cost of collection, processing and storage. Because the value of recycled materials can fluctuate greatly in a year’s time, the UTC requires many haulers to reflect the changes in the value of the recycled materials collected on an annual basis using a line item on the customer’s bill. This allows customers to benefit from any market surges in recyclable materials but also protects the hauler from any drops in the market. It also allows the customers to see the effect the sale of the recyclables has on their bills.

For more information
If you have any questions about your residential curbside recycling service provider and the rates charged, call the UTC at 800-562-6150.

For questions or comments about the design of your recycling program, contact your city or county solid waste division. For general questions and information about recycling , call the state Department of Ecology at 800-RECYCLE (732-9253).

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