Step 1: Set your Property up for Recycling Success!
As a multifamily property manager or owner, you hold the key to establishing a successful recycling program! It all starts with ensuring that your property has the necessary services and tools for making recycling easy and convenient for your residents. See below for how to set your property up for recycling success!
Evaluating your current garbage and recycling service level is the most important step in establishing an effective
recycling program at your property. Most properties have plenty of garbage capacity and not enough recycling. This
often leads to recyclable materials being placed in the garbage. In general, properties should have an equal number
of carts and/or containers for garbage and recycling.
|
Make sure that garbage and recycling containers are placed in an area that residents can access conveniently and
easily, and that recycling and garbage containers are located close together, either side-by-side or in the same
enclosure.
|
Clear and visible signs on containers help residents easily identify where materials belong. Check each of your
containers to see if they are properly labeled with WM garbage and recycling decals. Decals should
be posted on all visible sides of the container. Multilingual container labels and large-format enclosure posters are
also available to help all residents recycle right.
|
Step 2: Educate and Motivate your Residents!
It is important to provide residents with information about how to recycle at your property. See below for easy and creative ways to engage residents in your property's recycling program.
|
Step 3: Take your Recycling Program to the Next Level!
Congratulations! You have created a successful recycling program at your property. We know it is no small task to keep busy residents informed and motivated to recycle often and recycle right. Here are some tools to keep your recycling program running smoothly throughout the year.
Set Up a Share Space Is there a space onsite where residents can place reusable items they no longer want? This can be a designated corner in a garbage room, laundry room, clubhouse, or under a covered enclosure. Post signs and rules for how and what residents are allowed to leave in the Share Space. |
Organize a Property-wide Garage Sale Can you reserve a portion of the parking lot or another common space for a building-wide garage sale? Select a time and date, recruit participants, and post signs. Contact a local charity to collect reusable materials not sold during the garage sale. |
Host a Textile Collection Bin Clothing collection bins provide a free and convenient way for residents to donate reusable clothing. Consider hosting a clothing donation bin serviced and collected by local non-profits: Northwest Center Sight Connection |
Connect Residents with E-Cycle Washington Program Partners Through E-Cycle Washington, your residents can recycle televisions, computers, monitors, laptops, e-readers, and portable DVD players for free. Visit ecyclewashington.org or call 800-RECYCLE to find electronic product recycling drop-off locations in your area. Some organizations, such as Interconnection, might be willing to pick up electronics from your property. |
Encourage Use of "Take Back" Collection Locations
for Other Special Items Increasingly, retailers and manufacturers are providing local opportunities for residents to "take back" items to stores or other drop-off locations. Refer residents to these great programs: Electronics E-Cycle Washington, Best Buy, and Staples CFLs and fluorescent tubes Light Recycle Washington Rechargeable batteries and phones Call 2 Recycle Plastic bags Plastic Film Recycling |
Encourage Donation of Reusable Clothes and
Housewares Donating reusable books, clothing, housewares and other items to local charities such as Goodwill, Northwest Center, Sight Connection and Salvation Army is an easy way to prevent unnecessary waste, keep reusable items out of the garbage, and create jobs and job training opportunities in your community. |
TIP! If property management is located on-site, recruit a resident volunteer to assist with the completion of the Recycling Program Checklist and provide recognition for their assistance. |