Recycling Case Studies
Onondaga County Resources 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 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.
Zoo Print Ad: Ad featured in the local zoo’s (Rosamond Gifford Zoo) member newsletter, encouraging paper recycling by connecting it to saving the habitats of some of the animals at the zoo.
- 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.