Recycling Case Studies
Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA)
Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) is a non-profit public benefit corporation that has successfully managed Onondaga County (NY) solid waste programs for the last 20 years. A comprehensive education and outreach program has helped the 450,000-member community achieve new heights in recycling, including the recovery of 165,000 tons of paper and paper-based packaging in 2010.
Curbside collection, drop-off locations, annual “Shred-O-Rama” and book recycling events are all staples of the OCRRA paper recovery program. Further contributing to the success is comprehensive outreach and education, including multi-media advertising, newsletters, emails, and Facebook fan page updates.
Recovering more per capita than any other large community in New York, OCRRA relies on engagement with businesses, schools, and apartment complexes to achieve outstanding levels of community-wide recycling.
BlueBin Giveaway
Resident Timothy Annable gets free blue bins for recycling
Print Ad
This girl is from Onondaga County and was a winner of OCRRA's recycling Kid Contest.
Recycling Pledge Promise
Children at Van Buren Elementary sign OCRRA's School Recycling Pledge
OverviewOCRRA recently (April 2011) added soft cover books to their list of recyclable items. First, they encourage donation to local libraries or charities, but if they are in bad shape or are unwanted, residents can now put old paperback books into their blue bins for recycling. Fiber collected by OCRRA includes: newspaper, paperboard, direct mail, corrugated, office paper, magazines, Kraft bags, and gable-top containers. Residential recyclables are picked up curbside, and residents and commercial entities have the access to drop-off sites at no charge.More than 40,000 tons of recyclables are collected curbside each year
EducationA comprehensive education and outreach program has helped the 450,000-member community achieve new heights, including the recovery of 165,000 tons of paper and paper-based packaging in 2010. The program features bimonthly emails to more than 17,000 residents; quarterly newsletter to 155,000 residents; a frequently updated Facebook page; and a School Recycling Pledge contribute to the success of the on-going education about the recycling programAn education campaign resulted in a 14 percent community-wide increase in paper recovery from 2008-2009
IncentiveTargeting recyclables found in businesses and schools, OCRRA offers free supplies like desk side recycling containers for paper, and on-site consultations to ensure the best possible recycling programs The Blue Ribbon Recycler certification system (www.blueribbonrecycler.com) provides additional incentive, offering businesses recognition for their efforts.At the end of 2010, 41 businesses had been honored with this certification.
Shred-O-RamaOCRRA also holds an annual Shred-O-Rama, an event where residents are encouraged to bring their confidential documents for shredding. OCRRA partners with local document shredding companies who locate their mobile shredding trucks on-site for the event.Since the first event in 2004, OCRRA has collected over 180 tons of paper (26 tons in 2010!) from residents for shredding and recycling.
Book Reuse/Recycling An annual drive to collect/recycle books involves schools, colleges and universities. During a 2-week drop-off period, OCRRA invites non-profit organizations, local schools and libraries to sort through collected books, ensuring that many are reused. Remaining texts are shipped for recycling.In 2010, thousands of unwanted books were reused, and approximately 32 tons were recycled
- In 2010, 63.5 percent of the paper used in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. This represents an 89 percent increase in the recovery rate since 1990.
- Every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.
- 87 percent (268 million) of Americans have access to curbside or drop-off paper recycling programs.
- In 2010 the amount of paper recovered for recycling averaged 334 pounds for each man, woman and child in the United States.