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Austin Resource Recovery reports dip in recycling tonnage, previews aseptic packaging and major contracts
Summary
ARR staff reviewed recycling tonnages, contamination concerns and a recent set-out study, said the city will add aseptic packaging to curbside collection later this year, and summarized director's-report items including the Universal Recycling Ordinance reporting, upcoming solicitations and a pilot electric collection vehicle.
Assistant Director Ron Romero and ARR staff briefed commissioners on the city's residential recycling program, composition and participation data, and several department initiatives described in the director's report.
Romero reviewed historical tonnages and set-out data, saying recycling collection peaked during the pandemic and that tonnage has declined since. He highlighted that glass, cardboard and mixed paper remain large commodities and pointed to contamination and shifting household consumption patterns as drivers of lower tonnage. "We're trying to put our finger on exactly why tonnage is going down and what we can do to continue to keep that steady," Romero said.
ARR shared results from set-out audits in April and October 2024: district-level set-out rates in audits ranged from roughly the low 70s to mid-90s by service area and day of week, with Fridays showing the highest…
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