The City of Wilmington has diverted enough recyclables from the county landfill over the past year to rack up more than $257,000 in savings.
The official tally came out Wednesday from the city’s communications office, which explained the costs are higher to dump into the landfill than they are to recycle.
The city pays $59 per ton of landfill-going trash, while only $20 per recyclable ton.
“Approximately 6,600 tons of plastic bottles, cans, cardboard, newspaper and other recyclable materials were diverted from the county landfill,” said the city of the past year. “That’s about 500 tons more than last year–an increase of more than 8 percent.”
In late 2012 into early ’13, the city expanded its recycling program by offering new, trashcan-size roll carts to encourage more participation.
Related story: Wilmington recycling goes big, blue
Any customer of the city’s solid waste program could, and still can, receive a recycling roll-cart for free (replacing the small, open-top bins that hold a small amount of material).
The city accordingly changed its curbside recycling pickup schedule, going to every-other-week instead of weekly. It expected to save $220,000 annually in manpower costs.
Since rolling out the big, blue carts, more than 80 percent of city trash customers are recycling, according to program material.
The expansion continues.
This month, the city accepted a $25,000 grant from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources to install 19 recycling receptacles next to trash bins on pedestrian-heavy stretches of North Front and North Third streets.
The city anticipates diverting 5.25 tons of recyclable material from the downtown waste stream after the receptacles go into place, possibly later this year.
Recycling receptacles are also recent additions to city parks, the Wilmington Municipal Golf Course, Legion Stadium and Greenfield Lake Amphitheater.
Past story: Most of city trash customers recycling now
Ben Brown is a news reporter at Port City Daily. Reach him at [email protected] or (910) 772-6335. On Twitter:@benbrownmedia
