Apartment Recycling
Tips for successful recycling at your building:
Make it Simple and Convenient
- Place recycling bins next to trash bins
- Include recycling bins in common areas such as mail and laundry rooms
- Provide reusable totes or bags for tenants to sue when they take recyclables to the designated recycling area
- Clearly label all containers and keep trash areas clean
Educate and Motivate
- Provide a welcome packet for new tenants to use. Packet may include a reusable bag, clings/magnets and information on what to recycle.
- Share updates in newsletters and provide positive feedback
- Include recycling as a building policy in your tenant lease agreement.
- Have translated materials available for non-English speaking tenants
Recruit Champions
- An on-site champion can save you money by monitoring recycling containers and alerting you to any issues that may arise
- They can be a point of contact for other tenants. This may be important if your volunteers can communicate with non-English speaking tenants
- Consider providing an incentive, such as a rent credit or a preferred parking space, for tenants who take on the extra responsibility.
Work with building staff and hauler
- Make sue there is enough space in recycling bins. If there is not enough space, tenants will throw their recycling in the trash.
- Ask for feedback to find out how the program is going.
- Understand what you are paying for (there are no taxes on recycling) and be a smart consumer. Hauling prices are very competitive.
- Technical assistance is available for improvements to your program.
Dealing with the big stuff - Moving in and out
- Provide information on what to do with large items.
- Encourage donating good quality furniture, clothing, housewares and other items.
- Educate tenants on where to take electronics and other household hazardous waste, such as motor oil, household cleaner and batteries
- Request that tenants flatten cardboard before placing it in or next to the recycling bins.
FREE ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES:
Washington County would like to help you set up or improve your recycling. Grant funds available to improvement recycling at your building.
- Up to $10,000 for common space bins
- Additional $10,000 for infrastructure improvements to increase recycling participation.
- Free technical assistance
Educational materials include:
- Reusable bags
- Reusable totes
- Posters
- Clings/magnets
- Container labels
For more information about recycling and to see FREE resources, go to BizRecycling.com/Apartments.