Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Reduction topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wayne Green Team reports rising trash volumes, urges audits and landlord recycling
Summary
Sandy Brown told the Wayne City Council the Green Team and RTC diverted large tonnages from the landfill but flagged a roughly one‑third jump in trash; she urged a trash audit, landlord recycling incentives and promoted the Sept. 12 electronics recycling event.
Sandy Brown, speaking for the Wayne Green Team, delivered the group’s annual update and told the City Council that local recycling efforts have made substantial progress — but that a recent spike in trash requires action.
"First, we diverted 67,000 pounds of materials from the landfill" last year through six city-run programs, Brown said. She added that the Wayne Recycling and Trash Center (RTC) diverted more than 400,000 pounds from the landfill through baled cardboard, scrap metal and mixed-stream recycling, and that the Green Team’s cumulative diversion since 2013 is about 800,000 pounds. "We're getting very close to that 1 million pound mark," Brown said.
Brown also highlighted a troubling trend: RTC tonnage shows a sharp increase in trash. She said officials saw about a 34% increase in 2024 compared with 2023 and a continued rise into 2025. Brown recommended a targeted trash audit to determine sources and proposed incentives for large apartment complexes and landlords to offer recycling services, noting that some new multi-unit properties in town currently do not provide recycling pickup.
Brown outlined community programs and outreach the group runs, including a Recycle Right Bingo promotion and an annual electronics recycling event set for Sept. 12 at the FNBL parking lot. She credited partnerships — including Waste Connections and area nonprofits and businesses such as Micah’s Closet and local thrift stores — with expanding options for hard-to-recycle items like glass, batteries, ink cartridges and electronics.
Council members thanked the Green Team and asked follow-up questions about campus move-out dumpsters, festival-related spikes in July tonnage and whether regional haulers are contributing to the increase. Brown said the Waste Connections lease provides annual tonnage data and that expanded RTC hours have improved access for residents.
Next steps: Brown urged the council to consider a trash audit and to explore incentives for landlords and large multi-family properties to offer recycling services. The Green Team will return with details on data trends and upcoming events.
