Action taken over the past year in China is impacting recycling efforts in the United States but not locally, according to Melinda Caldwell, Ozark Mountain Solid Waste District Executive Director.
In an Arkansas Business column, it’s noted China has instituted a quality control policy requiring recycle bales of mixed paper and plastic to be no more than one-half to 1 percent contaminated.
The result is recycled material stacking up on the West Coast and commodity pricing going through the floor for lack of demand from China, the U.S.’s biggest purchaser.
Caldwell says the practices at the Baxter Day Service Center have kept China’s new policy from impacting the local area.
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China consumes upwards to 40 percent of recycled materials from the U.S. With its new policy banning contaminated recyclables, Caldwell says pricing is indeed impacted.
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Caldwell says the success of recycling efforts always begins with the user or the consumer.
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The Arkansas Business article notes what’s know as single-stream recycling in other parts of the country is contributing to the contamination issue. Single-stream means consumers no longer separate recyclable material. The sorting and separating are now done at materials recycling facilities. While it’s easier for the consumer, it’s more difficult for the industry.
With single-stream recycling, participation increased, but so did contamination.
Caldwell says for information on what items are accepted at recycling centers in the six counties in the Ozark Mountain Solid Waste District, Baxter, Marion, Searcy, Newton, Boone and Newton, go online to OMSWD. For counties outside the district, she recommends consumers check with city halls in their respective areas.
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