The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority has approved spending $3 million to retrofit its Hartford regional recycling facility to accept single-stream recycling deliveries for all 70 cities and towns served by CRRA’s Mid-Connecticut Project.
Unlike the current curbside recycling system, in which paper and cardboard are separated from bottles, cans and other containers, with single-stream recycling, residents can put all recyclables into the same barrel. And because most single-stream collection systems use 64-gallon barrels, rather than the 14-gallon bins currently in use, people will be able to recycle more material.
“In many other cities, single-stream has dramatically improved recycling rates. We believe this is the future of recycling,” Thomas D. Kirk, president of CRRA, said in a statement. “The state has set some aggressive goals for recycling, and single-stream is the kind of bold step we need to take to reach those goals.”
This year CRRA will rebate Mid-Connecticut Project towns $10 for every ton of recyclables they deliver. Â If recycling deliveries increase by 50 percent, CRRA expects to receive an additional $5.375 million in commodity sales revenues over the next 10 years. Currently, recyclables delivered to CRRA’s Hartford facility are separated, but the retrofit will install new sorting equipment to automatically separate paper and cardboard from containers.
CRRA expects to complete the retrofit and be able to accept single-stream deliveries by Dec. 31.
