Increased recycling rate puts Washington on right track

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - November 1, 2001

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Increased recycling rate puts Washington on right track

OLYMPIA - Washington businesses and residents improved their recycling habits in 2000, raising the statewide recycling rate to 35 percent, up from 32 percent the year before, according to data collected by the state Department of Ecology (Ecology).

In 1989, the Waste Not Washington Act established a 50 percent recycling goal for the state. The highest level achieved so far was 40 percent in 1995. By contrast, the national average is 28 percent.

Market improvements for various commodities, such as metals, newspaper and container glass, as well as improved commercial-collection programs have contributed to the rate's rise, according to Ecology officials.

"We've found that the recycling rate can go up and down like the stock market," said Cullen Stephenson, who manages Ecology's solid-waste program. "There is no one culprit to blame for a drop, but all of us can help by decreasing the amount of waste we produce and recycling the waste we can't prevent."

Just as the recycling rate goes up due to economic conditions and effective recycling programs, it can easily drop because of poor resale markets, lack of public education, attitudes about recycling, and product packaging and design, said Stephenson.

"We have to make it easy to recycle, and we have to provide information about why and how to recycle - but that's not enough. Products and packaging have to be able to be recycled," he said. "We'd like people to be more aware of what they buy, what it's made of and how it's packaged, and how they dispose of it.

"The small rise in the rate tells us that something in the system is working better, and we need all citizens and businesses to remain vigilant and committed," Stephenson added.

Contacts: Gretchen Newman, recycling survey coordinator, 360-407-6097
Caitlin Cormier, public information officer, 360-407-6149, or pager, 360-971-5536

To view the recycling-survey data: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/solidwastedata/recyclin.asp
For more information about recycling: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa