New method increases recycling materials by 400 tons

Want more people to recycle? Make it easier.

That's how the city of Minneapolis saw a nearly 400 ton increase, about 63 percent, in recycled materials in just six weeks, WCCO reports.

Previously, residents were required to sort and separate glass, plastic, paper, aluminum and cardboard.

Thanks to the changeover to a single-sort plan, all recyclables can be thrown into one blue bin, making recycling more convenient.

Only 30,000 have switched to the new method, about 80,000 more will move to single-sort by spring.

The Star Tribune says the city is also allowing more types of plastics and paper it collects. Plastics marked with numbers 1 through 7 can now be recycled. Paper items such as juice boxes, milk, soup, broth and wine cartons will be accepted as well.

The new city recycling initiative does not include businesses and larger residential properties. They contract their own recycling removal.

The switch cost the city about $9 million, MPR reports, but recycling manager Dave Herberholz expects the new method will save money over the long term.