Sustainability commission recommends Bay Beach recycling pilot after long debate over contamination and cost

The Sustainability Commission voted to recommend that Parks Department staff explore recycling collection best practices for recreational facilities and implement a trial at Bay Beach Amusement Park during the 2025 season, then report back to the commission at summer’s end.

Commissioners and staff spent more than an hour discussing why on‑site recycling in public parks is difficult and what a trial should look like. Parks Director Dan Ditchite described previous efforts and cautioned that “away‑from‑home” recycling is “problematic at best” because visitors often do not sort waste properly. He said small paper items such as tickets are too small for automated sorting at material recovery facilities and are “actually better as compost than anything else.”

Mark Walters (recycling practitioner) and others urged that pilot designs minimize contamination, avoid putting recyclables in plastic bags, and include paired garbage and recycling containers emptied on the same schedule. Commissioners proposed clear signage, slot‑style receptacles that accept only bottles and cans, and receptacle designs used by successful stadiums and parks elsewhere. One commissioner suggested creative, eye‑catching containers to draw correct behavior.

The motion—“recommend Parks Department staff to explore recycling collection best practices at recreational facilities and implement trial collection at Bay Beach during the 2025 season, then report back to the Sustainability Commission at the end of the summer”—was moved during the meeting and seconded by multiple commissioners; the commission voted “Aye” and the motion passed with no recorded opposition.

Parks staff said pilots should be realistic about expectations: prior CityDeck and Bay Beach trials produced high contamination rates, and successful sites often require monitoring, frequent emptying, and staff time for sorting or coordination with volunteer partners. The director said a pilot could still be useful as an outreach tool and a source of comparative data about receptacle types and messaging; he offered to attempt in‑season trials with available resources and to present results to the volunteer advisory group or parks committee.

Ending: Commissioners instructed staff to develop a pilot plan and report back; the motion will be documented and circulated to the Parks Department and the Parks Committee as appropriate.