Program to Reduce Recycling Contamination
City of Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) - Corpus Christi City Council authorized the purchase of an automated garbage truck in the amount of $348,568. The truck will be dedicated for use in a new Solid Waste program called Recycle Contamination Lessening Education and Enforcement (CLEAN) Program. The program aims to reduce the City’s recycling contamination rate. Currently, the City spends nearly $500,000 annually to address contaminated materials in its recycling stock.
Recycle CLEAN is a tiered education and enforcement program. The education portion of the program will focus on providing tools to reduce recycling contamination through public service announcements, social media advertising, speaking engagements, radio interviews and more.
Recycle CLEAN will enforce compliance measures through daily recycling cart inspections. The inspections will be performed by Quality Control Officers in the City’s Solid Waste Department. The officers will identify and remove items deemed to be unclean or unfit for recycling. Violators will first be notified by having their carts tagged. Individuals with subsequent offenses will then be issued a warning letter, followed by an assessment fine and finally, removal from the City’s recycling program for a twelve-month period.
Similar programs have proven successful in reducing the contamination rates for cities like San Antonio and McAllen. The program is expected to launch in the fall of 2021.
"I’m so happy to see yet another stride in progress for Corpus Christi! This program will help sustain an effective recycling process for our city. The Recycle CLEAN program is extremely important to our environment and community,” said Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo.