In an effort to decrease Flagstaff’s recycling contamination rates, city staff and trained volunteers will begin inspecting the contents of residents’ recycling bins. On the days of recycling service, staff or volunteers will inspect recycling containers. If a large amount of non-recyclable materials are found in the bins, an “OOPS” tag will be tied onto the handle notifying the resident of the specific materials that need to be kept out in the future. This program is designed to help residents keep non-recyclables out of the recycling stream in response to the recent changes to the types of plastic that can be recycled in the city. This program builds off a pilot recycling education program conducted in Flagstaff last year that resulted in a 40 percent decrease in the amount of non-recyclable items placed in recycling bins, as well as a 50 percent decrease in the amount of recyclable materials deposited in trash bins.
