Memphis partners with recycling firms.(MUNICIPAL RECYCLING)

The city of Memphis, Tenn., along with International Paper, FOR of Tennessee and Friends of City Beautiful, has started a recycling program called "All Aboard" to target old corrugated containers (COO) and paperboard packaging.

In August, Residents receiving solid waste and recycling services provided by city of Memphis Solid Waste Management and its contractors, Allied Waste and Southern Disposal, received "All Aboard" notices that provide information about how to identify and prepare cardboard for recycling on their collection carts.

"With the addition of cardboard, almost all paper types are now acceptable for recycling at curbside and potentially significant landfill savings and revenue are possible," says Memphis Recycling Administrator Andy Ashford. Acceptable items include paper cups, flattened corrugated moving boxes, cereal boxes, beverage cartons, shoe boxes, newspaper, magazines, mail, office paper and phone books.

International Paper approached city officials last year about adding COO to the recycling program and, after months of discussions and testing, was able to bring together the parties needed to make COO recycling possible in Memphis.

FOR, which processes the city's recyclables, amended its contract to add cardboard, while Friends of City Beautiful assists the department of Solid Waste Management with promotion and education.

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates