Community Partnership | Memphis, TN
Background
The City of Memphis offers single-stream curbside recycling services to over 182,000 households and provides three drop-off recycling locations. Recyclables are collected by the Memphis Solid Waste Management Department and sent to the city-owned Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), operated by Republic Services, where between 600 and 800 tons of materials are processed each month.
Community flyer
As the largest city in Shelby County, Memphis is dedicated to increasing its waste diversion rates while reducing contamination. The city has implemented several sustainability initiatives, including the Memphis Area Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce the share of paper and cardboard in the municipal solid waste stream from commercial, institutional, and industrial sectors by 20% by 2030. This plan prioritizes actions such as diverting more organic and inorganic waste from landfills and reducing overall waste generation in Shelby County, with the goal of moving toward a zero-waste future.
Operation and End Market Planning
Memphis and FPI shared a goal of enhancing the city’s recovery rates, one of which was incorporating new feedstock, including paper cups, into recycling operations. After assessing the readiness of both the MRF and the city, paper cups were added to the list of acceptable materials. These cups, which are made from high-quality fiber that is valuable to the paper industry, are baled with other paper and converted into new products, helping divert waste from landfills and supporting the circular economy.
Outreach & Education
Community and media event to launch outreach campaign
The City of Memphis and FPI teamed up for an educational campaign in June 2023, aimed at raising awareness about the newly accepted material and already accepted foodservice packaging items, as well as promoting general recycling best practices.
Funded by FPI’s communications grant, the campaign launched with a press conference at the Mud Island Recycling Drop-off Center. Attendees enjoyed free coffee from Crazy Gander Coffee, served in paper cups that could now be recycled. The first 35 attendees also received gift cards for Crazy Gander Coffee.
The campaign utilized various communication methods (in both English and Spanish), including a customized recycling video, a revamped recycling flyer, social media posts and GIFs, digital ads, and placements in the Memphis Flyer, a popular local magazine. Messaging emphasized that all recyclables should be clean and empty when placed in recycling carts.
Social media utilized in social media campaign
Results
The campaign achieved significant engagement, generating over 1.9 million impressions. The revamped recycling flyer received positive feedback, with many appreciating its clear and informative design. The inclusion of Spanish-language materials proved especially beneficial, expanding the campaign’s reach to a broader audience.
Additionally, the campaign’s messaging was successfully incorporated into local schools, further amplifying its impact on recycling awareness. Social media engagement saw a 12% increase, reflecting the growing interest and participation in the campaign’s efforts. Overall, the results highlight the campaign’s success in educating the community and driving positive behavior change around recycling.
Next Steps
Moving forward, Memphis is exploring opportunities to collaborate with Memphis City Beautiful and Clean Memphis to help disseminate information on this campaign and future sustainability initiatives. The city will also continue to work on advancing the goals outlined in the Memphis Area Climate Action Plan and the Regional Resilience Master Plan, including reducing the amount of residential and commercial waste sent to municipal landfills, improving recycling habits, and exploring circular economy opportunities for waste diversion.
December 2024
Foodservice Packaging Materials Accepted
Paper cups*
Paper bags
Pizza boxes
Molded fiber food packaging
PET cups
PET clamshells/containers/trays
Polypropylene (PP) cups
Polypropylene (PP) tubs/containers/trays
Rigid Polystyrene (PS) cups
Rigid Polystyrene (PS) clamshells/containers
Alumninum Foil Food Packaging
*New items added during partnership
