Survey of communities shows recycling access widespread
The American Beverage Association (ABA) released a report
showing that nearly three in four Americans have access
to curbside recycling programs – but the infrastructure
is in place for millions more to gain access to this
convenient and efficient form of recycling.
The report, prepared independently by the environmental
firm R.W. Beck, found that an estimated 229 million Americans,
or 74 percent of the total population, have access to
some form of curbside recycling at home. The data was
compiled through a broad national survey of local recycling
officials. Curbside recycling makes it easier and more
convenient for people to recycle — and thus more likely
While widespread access to curbside recycling is encouraging
news, the study underscores the great potential for up
to 95 million more Americans to have regular curbside
pickup of recyclables. For these Americans, the infrastructure
is in place for curbside recycling if two barriers are
removed: extending recyclables collection to all who
currently have curbside trash pickup and lifting of recycling
fees for those who have access to “subscription” curbside
recycling service. For example, right now, an estimated
36 to 60 million residents currently have trucks come
to their curb to collect their trash but not their recyclables.
So the pieces are in place for those same trucks, or
entities, providing the trash collection to all to collect
recyclable materials at the curbside. Also, subscription
services can often be a disincentive for people to participate
in existing curbside recycling programs.
The conclusions of this report show greater curbside
access than previous studies, which were much less comprehensive.
This survey contacted local officials with firsthand
knowledge of the recycling programs and was designed
to capture a larger sample of the population. Between
improved access and other upgrades to existing recycling
programs, the United States has significant untapped
potential to improve recycling rates within its existing
ABA commissioned the study to determine how many consumers
have access to recycling of beverage containers so that
it can continue to support efforts to improve access
to the most convenient and efficient methods of recycling.
The survey methodology combined direct responses from
the largest counties and cities in the United States
with a sampling approach designed to capture a representative
sample of the much more numerous small communities. The
survey targeted 280 million people (90 percent of the
total population of the United States) and more than
1,200 counties containing 20,000 communities.