Samantha Yager | City of Columbia | Solid Waste Division

Columbia’s Recycling Program

•  1991: residential curbside program

•  July 2015: bins to 95-gallon carts

•  34,158 total carts delivered in 13 days

•  8 recycling route areas •  38% increase in recycling

material collected •  Monthly participation rate

62%

Carts Education

What We Did•  Waste study with MRF •  Selected 4 of 8 routes •  Ran material separately •  City staff went to watch material being sorted •  13% contamination rate

Oops Tags•  Two-month study with

drivers•  Driver’s daily sheets•  Avg. 25 lbs per collection •  191 tags, 25 repeat

offenders•  3 strikes- out •  Target by neighborhood

Mapping Oops Tags

Continuing Public Education

•  The Recycling Wizard! •  City website, newsletters, meetings •  Midlands Recycling and Sustainability Group •  Public events •  Paid advertising •  Direct mail •  Social media •  Presentations •  App •  RecycleMoreSC

Waste Wizard

As of 03/01/2017

Materials Searched: 13,624

Drop Off Site

Updated Signage

Public Space Recycling•  Added 13 new recycling containers among 3

hospitality districts •  In the process of adding 10 among City parks

Questions?

Samantha Yager City of Columbia

803-545-3803 shyager@columbiasc.net