Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Legislative Director Lee Sawyer says the agency is continuing to work to educate residents about what and what not to throw away in their recycling bins.
It launched a marketing campaign last year called “What's in, what's out.”
It sounds like a simple problem to solve, but depending on which facility you ask, non-recyclable items like plastic bags and even dirty diapers are increasing in frequency in single-stream bins, despite education efforts.
Thomas Gaffey, recycling director at the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority, suspects pay-as-you-throw trash collection in certain communities may be inadvertently incentivizing less scrupulous residents to toss overflow trash into the recycling bin so they don't have to pay for an additional trash bag.
“We think it's going to be a long process, it needs to be a sustained push,” Sawyer said.
China's new scrap restrictions only compound existing challenges for Connecticut's recycling efforts. The state is trying to divert 60 percent of its waste through recycling and other methods by 2024, up from around 35 percent today.
The more junk residents throw in their bins, the harder the recyclables will be to sell, and the more likely service costs will increase.
“It could be about life or death for some of our recyclers in the state,” Sawyer said of the need for residents to improve their single-stream behavior.
DEEP also continues to push for more “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) programs, which shift more of the cost burden and recycling duties onto manufacturers, and often, consumers.
While Connecticut has such programs for items like mattresses, electronics and paint, there are none for mandated recyclables that are problematic to the recycling industry, such as glass, or more recently, paper. Lawmakers would have to approve new EPR mandates, which face staunch opposition from industry.
DEEP also notes that it recently began working with the Closed Loop Fund, formed by a group of consumer-goods giants like 3M, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive and Johnson & Johnson, to finance investments in technology that would reduce recycling contamination and improve the desirability of Connecticut bales.
The fund hopes to invest $5 million in Connecticut this year, DEEP announced in March.
The Hartford Business Journal 2025 Charity Event Guide is the annual resource publication highlighting the top charity events in 2025.
Learn moreHartford Business Journal provides the top coverage of news, trends, data, politics and personalities of the area’s business community. Get the news and information you need from the award-winning writers at HBJ. Don’t miss out - subscribe today.
SubscribeDelivering vital marketplace content and context to senior decision-makers throughout Connecticut ...
All Year Long!
The Hartford Business Journal 2025 Charity Event Guide is the annual resource publication highlighting the top charity events in 2025.
Hartford Business Journal provides the top coverage of news, trends, data, politics and personalities of the area’s business community. Get the news and information you need from the award-winning writers at HBJ. Don’t miss out - subscribe today.
Delivering vital marketplace content and context to senior decision-makers throughout Connecticut ...
All Year Long!
In order to use this feature, we need some information from you. You can also login or register for a free account.
By clicking submit you are agreeing to our cookie usage and Privacy Policy
Already have an account? Login
Already have an account? Login
Want to create an account? Register
In order to use this feature, we need some information from you. You can also login or register for a free account.
By clicking submit you are agreeing to our cookie usage and Privacy Policy
Already have an account? Login
Already have an account? Login
Want to create an account? Register
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Our privacy policy
To ensure the best experience on our website, articles cannot be read without allowing cookies. Please allow cookies to continue reading. Our privacy policy
0 Comments