September Sentiments: A Year of Recycling Wins at Multi-Family Properties
Throughout one year of active programming, our Multi-Family Recycling Initiative (MFRI) team worked in 12 properties across 5 Maine municipalities. MFRI’s weekly waste audits measured an estimated 18,219 pounds of recycling during their 12-week programs alone. An estimated 5,478 pounds of that total were from newly captured recycling- that’s material wouldn’t have been recycled at all without the new programs our team helped roll out at five properties. Following MFRI’s education and outreach, properties with pre-existing recycling programs saw an average contamination reduction of ~37%. As one maintenance staff member said regarding the 12-week pilot:
“I think you all are really making a difference. There’s actually recycling now; it was never full before but now there’s always stuff in there. And it’s not just filled with trash.”
Sustainable Recycling Programs Require Intentionality
Waste management in multi-family spaces provides constant opportunities for improvement and therefore, requires continued resident and staff participation, attention, and intention. Here are 3 things we’ve learned that make a recycling program work for the long haul:
1. A waste-related point person. Properties that assign a waste related point of contact experience sustainable success with their recycling program. One of our early partner’s, Piper Shores (a 270-unit campus in Scarborough), identified their sustainability and landscape coordinator to field waste related questions, maintain signage, and distribute or post occasional recycling reminders for residents. They saw continuous engagement in waste related efforts that fueled an 84% average diversion rate!
2. Clear and Concise Guidance: Recycling improves when signs are easy to follow and show real examples. Taking the guesswork out builds confidence at the bin, and that leads to cleaner recycling. Residents at Harbor Terrace, a 120-unit Portland Housing Authority building, increased their weekly recycling volume by 92% after the installation of multicolored, consistent signage in each refuse room.
3. Periodic Reminders: Good recycling habits stick when residents get regular reminders, whether digital or on paper. These reminders keep recycling front of mind and establish a norm in the building. Partners like Volunteers of America Bayview Heights in Portland, have used our ready-made communication templates and posters to share holiday and seasonal related waste guidance. In the words of one resident:
“That magnet you gave us is really helpful. Every time I look at an item, I go over to the magnet and look for the item and say, ‘oh yep, that’s recycling’.”
Where to Go From Here?
Recycling can be complicated, and we’re here to help! Our 12-week program gives properties the fundamentals they need for a successful recycling system, whether they’re starting from scratch or strengthening what’s already in place. At the end, we return the keys (literally and metaphorically) as well as the tools we used throughout the program so staff can keep the momentum going. The best part? The team is only a call away if you have any questions!
To stay up to date on the Multi-Family Recycling Initiative, subscribe to our newsletter here or follow us on Instagram. If you’d like to connect with the team directly, you can reach us at multifamily@ecomaine.org. Let’s Build Better Recycling Together.
