Waste Management Inc. has launched a new online portal for users promoting its educational campaign to increase recycling.
The Houston-based Waste Management said the portal is designed around its “Recycle Often. Recycle Right.” campaign, which promotes the basics of recycling by simplifying guidelines and “empowering everyone to become recycling ambassadors,” the company said in a news release.
Accessing the website allows users to examine the campaign online and make a digital promise to rethink recycling by “getting back to the basics of good recycling” and encourage others to do the same.
Waste Management said 65 percent of consumers place non-recyclables in their curbside recycling bins, largely because of lack of education on the process. “As more and more communities aspire to achieve higher diversion rates, the need for clarification and simplification has grown. In addition, as recycling has evolved over the years, confusion about things such as collection systems, what can and cannot be recycled, what materials are made from, how they are packaged and their eventual end market, has grown.”
The campaign aims to simplify recycling though three basic rules: recycle all bottles, cans and paper; keep items clean and dry; and no plastic bags.
The educational website includes recycling information that educators, city staff and members of the community can download.
Waste Management hopes to gather 5,000 online promises to rethink recycling by the end of November.