Green Bay Considers Single Stream Recycling System

Giant recycling bins could begin showing up in Green Bay soon. The city is considering following the example of some of its neighbors by switching over to a mixed recycling program. This approach will alloww residents to put all recyclables into a single bin, rather than having to separate paper from bottles, jars and cans.

It would involve issuing larger containers to homeowners and acquiring trucks that use an automated system of dumping those containers. This would ultimately save on community labor costs, Public Works Director Carl Weber told the city’s Improvement and Services Committee last week.

Brown County’s materials recycling facility isn’t prepared to accept mingled recyclables, but private companies offer the service, Weber said.

Officials from Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago counties are talking about constructing a joint recycling facility in 2009 that would accept the mingled recyclables, Weber said.

Ashwaubenon already uses the system and De Pere will switch to it this summer.

Allowing residents to mix their recyclables simplifies the process and improves people’s recycling efforts, Weber said.