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Waste Management: Cedar Hills’ diversion at about 6–7%; contamination and resident education remain biggest hurdles
Summary
A Waste Management official told the council Cedar Hills’ 12‑month diversion rate is roughly 6–7% and outlined pilot programs (plastic film, certain cups), the environmental savings these gains represent, and planned resident-education steps to reduce contamination.
Blakely, who said they oversee government affairs for Waste Management in the area, briefed council on the city’s recycling-diversion performance and outreach efforts. “Right now, annually, if you take the 12 months, we love to see your diversion right around 10%...you’re hovering right around 6% this year. If you take the 12 months, you’re right around 7%,” Blakely said, describing current diversion estimates.
Blakely presented May metrics showing avoided landfill space, energy and water savings tied to diversion and described pilot programs—testing plastic film and expanding acceptance of certain single-use cups in municipal recycling. The company emphasized that contamination (bagged recyclables, greasy food containers) is the primary barrier to higher diversion and pledged a three-pronged outreach effort—can-level tagging, bill inserts and social media pushes—to educate residents.
Council members pressed for operational details such as pizza-box acceptance and whether markets truly exist for paper and plastics; Blakely said acceptance depends on contamination levels and that Waste Management uses advanced sorting technologies at its materials-recovery facility.
Blakely offered to coordinate more resident outreach and to host council members at the MRF for a site visit so they could see how materials are processed.
