Cardboard ban already paying off, city says

On April 1st, the city of Lincoln made it mandatory to recycle corrugated cardboard and residents could no longer throw it in the trash.

Half a year later, the city said they’re seeing positive results.

“We’ve seen a dramatic increase — a continuing increase — in the amount of cardboard and the amount of recyclables that we’re seeing there,” said Assistant Director of Public Works and Utilities Donna Garden.  “In fact, the latest data shows that we’re seeing more than a 100 percent increase”

Garden said that came from data taken from April through July.

She credited the city and collections services with educating the public on what they had to do and the public for cooperating.

She said it puts valuable resources back into service and helps the environment.

“We’re cutting down less trees, we’re making cardboard…and paper products out of already existing cardboard and we’re saving space at the landfill,” Garden said.  “We’re extending the life of the landfill.”

It’s not just the city singing praises.

Von Busch and Sons Refuse said they’ve seen a 30 percent increase in their recycling customers.

And that’s not all.

“One of the side benefits with just the cardboard ban being in place was that we noticed all the other commodities have also increased,” said President Bruce Von Busch.  “I think people bring in their cardboard to the sites, they decided they might as well start recycling other products, like plastic bottles…tin cans.”

But he asks recyclers to flatten the cardboard out and keep the sites clean.

The city said they are having problems with people taking items that are inappropriate for recycle sites.

They have a guide on where you can take those at: https://lincoln.ne.gov/city/pworks/solid-waste/reduce-reuse.htm

For recycle sites, go to: https://lincoln.ne.gov/city/pworks/solid-waste/recycle/dropoff-sites.htm