Fayetteville Council considers all-in-one cart recycling to improve diversion rates

The Fayetteville City Council convened on June 10, 2025, to discuss various aspects of the city's waste management and recycling programs. The meeting focused on the current recycling strategies, participation rates, and potential improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

The session began with a review of the city's recycling cart distribution, noting that approximately 50% of the mix consists of 64-gallon carts, with 25% allocated to both 96-gallon and 32-gallon carts. This distribution is crucial for understanding the overall recycling participation and effectiveness.

City officials provided an overview of the diverse services offered by the Sanfayetteville Recycling and Trash Collections Division. These services include curbside recycling, food waste collection, yard waste management, and bulky waste collections, catering to residential, multifamily, and commercial sectors. The council emphasized the importance of recovering costs associated with these services to ensure sustainability.

A significant portion of the discussion centered on the city's recycling performance. Last year, Fayetteville collected over 77,000 tons of waste, with about 15,000 tons, or 20%, being diverted from landfills through recycling and composting. However, the city has struggled to improve its recycling diversion rate, which has stagnated at 20% for the past decade. The council noted that participation in the curbside collection program is only between 30% to 40%, leading to a substantial amount of recyclable materials ending up in landfills.

The council reviewed the results of a recent waste sort conducted in September, revealing that nearly 46% of residential waste is classified as trash, with a significant portion consisting of recyclables that could have been diverted. The capture rate for recyclables in the residential sector stands at 40%, while the commercial sector is even lower at 17%. This indicates a pressing need for improved collection strategies.

To address these challenges, the council explored various operational scenarios for enhancing the recycling program. The current curbside recycling model, which relies heavily on manual sorting, has led to high injury rates among drivers and inefficiencies in service delivery. The council discussed transitioning to a dual-stream cart-based recycling system, which would involve providing separate carts for different types of recyclables. However, the preferred option appears to be an all-in-one cart system, which would allow all recyclables to be collected in a single cart, improving capture rates and reducing employee injuries.

The proposed all-in-one cart system is expected to double the amount of recyclables captured, enhance safety for collection staff, and provide equitable service across the city. While the initial capital cost for implementing this system is estimated at $2 million, it is viewed as the most efficient and effective option moving forward.

In conclusion, the Fayetteville City Council's meeting highlighted the need for significant improvements in the city's recycling efforts. With a focus on enhancing participation and efficiency, the council is poised to adopt a more effective recycling strategy that aligns with the city's sustainability goals. Further discussions and decisions regarding the implementation of the new recycling system are anticipated in future meetings.