Community Partnership | Clark County, IN
Foodservice Packaging Materials Accepted
Paper cups*Paper take-out clamshells/containers/trays*
Paper bags*
Pizza boxes*
Molded fiber carriers/containers*
Molded fiber egg cartons*
Plastic cups*
Plastic clamshells/containers*
Rigid plastic cups*
Rigid plastic clamshells/containers*
*New items added during partnership
Background
In 2019, Clark County, Indiana provided its weekly single-stream curbside recycling service to 110,000 households. Additionally, residents had access to convenient 24-hour recycling drop-off locations situated throughout the county.
The collected recyclables are transported to the WestRock Recycling MRF, where, in 2019, residents consistently diverted an impressive monthly average of 186 tons of materials from landfills.
Operational and End Market Planning
The County aimed to increase its recovery rates by adding new feedstock to its operations, including foodservice items such as cups and containers.
One challenge, however, is that in 2019, only a limited number of recycled paper mills accepted cups due to the polycoat lining that keeps liquids and food from seeping through the material. Part of the FPI Community Partnership program is to collaborate with the full recycling value chain and get all stakeholders involved. This collaborative effort included working with WestRock to assess the pulpability of paper cups within mixed paper bales. After conducting multiple trials, WestRock determined that polycoated paper cups could indeed be effectively reclaimed and processed into new products, and in 2018, WestRock’s Consumer Board Mills that consume recovered fiber were added to the network of North American mills accepting paper cups.
As a result, Clark County began incorporating paper cups, along with a variety of other paper foodservice items, into its mixed paper bales. The MRF subsequently sold this high-quality fiber to local paper mills in the region, where it could be reprocessed into new products.
Outreach & Education
Subsequently, Clark County initiated an educational campaign to inform residents about the upcoming changes. This initiative was made possible through FPI's communication grant, which facilitated the development of educational materials such as an updated recycling flyer, recycling bin sticker, and bookmark.
The campaign officially commenced during a recycling promotion and education event that coincided with America Recycles Day in mid-November. The event featured representatives from the county, FPI, and WestRock Recycling.
Results
Clark County saw a significant increase in website traffic after the partnership launch, from an average of 1,855 monthly visits to 12,057 monthly visits. The county’s diversion rate increased from 186 tons per month in 2019 to 199 tons in 2020 and 207 tons in 2021.
Next Steps
In 2022, Clark County opened a new waste and recycling center in Charlestown, Indiana. The new facility provides a safer option for truck drivers to dispose of waste in a controlled environment compared to an open landfill. The facility has a grapple machine that can sort through construction debris to remove recyclable materials like concrete, steel pipes, cardboard, and other metals.
November 2022
