Recycling on the rise - Residents in Tri-County recycling partnership break records every year
(Green Bay, WI) For the counties of Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago, residents are recycling now more than ever. Every year since 2009, when the three counties formed a tri-county recycling program, the amount of material recycled breaks the record from the previous year. In 2016, the partnership once again surpassed its prior year recycling tonnage, processing over 110,000 tons, an increase of nearly 14,000 tons.
Brown County switched over to a single stream recycling system in 2009 which has made recycling much easier for residents. “We’ve seen more material getting recycled almost every year since going to a single stream system,” explained Mark Walter, Brown County Resource Recovery Business Manager. “Continued outreach efforts and community education has also helped that consistent increase. While the increase in 2016 was just 127 tons, it still shows that our residents are on the right track to understanding how important recycling is.”
The Tri-County Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is the largest publicly owned and operated MRF in the United States. The facility is jointly owned by Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago Counties, and serves the three counties as well as much of northeast Wisconsin including all of Calumet, Door, Shawano and Waupaca Counties. Also, material from parts of at least ten other Wisconsin counties is processed by the Tri-County MRF.
In addition to curbside recycling, the Brown County Resource Recovery Department offers other methods to divert waste from landfills. These include recycling electronics, batteries, light bulbs, paint, wood waste, shingles, appliances, and construction & demolition waste, as well as food waste. Visit www.browncountyrecycling.org for more information.
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About Brown County Resource Recovery: The purpose of the Brown County Port & Resource Recovery Department is to meet the solid waste disposal needs of local communities and businesses through methods which are environmentally sound and economical. To learn more, go to: www.BrownCountyRecycling.org You can also follow us on Facebook (Brown County Recycling), Twitter (@recyclebrownco), Pinterest (@bcRecycling) and YouTube (Resource Recovery channel).
