Alexei Volkov
Tucson, Arizona, is working to improve its plastic recycling programme. The city has partnered with ByFusion to collect and transform unrecyclable plastics into building blocks. The City of Tucson also offers a recycling programme that pays $0.15 per pound of plastic bottles recycled. However, some residents have called for the city to focus more on upstream solutions to the plastic problem, such as working with local businesses to pilot reusable and refillable container systems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How much is paid for recycling plastic bottles | $0.15 per pound of plastic bottles recycled |
| How much is paid for recycling plastic bottles in Mesa | $0.10 per pound of plastic bottles recycled |
| How plastic waste is recycled | Unrecyclable plastics are collected in a bright orange 22 cubic-yard container at the back of the building, then picked up by the city's Environmental Services trucks and emptied at Tank's Speedway Recycling and Landfill |
| How plastic waste is turned into building blocks | Micro-diversion platforms use steam and compression to produce 22-pound blocks |
| Where to leave plastic waste | City drop-off sites |
What You'll Learn
- The City of Tucson pays $0.15 per pound of plastic bottles recycled
- The City of Mesa pays $0.10 per pound of plastic bottles recycled
- Tucson is working to turn plastic into building blocks
- Tucson is partnering with ByFusion to collect and transform unrecyclable plastics
- Tucson is considering offering curbside pickup services for plastic waste
The City of Tucson pays $0.15 per pound of plastic bottles recycled
The amount of money paid for recycling plastic bottles in Arizona depends on the city or county. Some cities and counties have programs that pay by the pound, while others may pay by the number of bottles recycled. For example, the City of Mesa offers a similar program to Tucson but pays out $0.10 per pound of plastic bottles recycled. If you live in a city or county that does not have a recycling program for plastic bottles, you can still recycle them through private companies.
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The City of Mesa pays $0.10 per pound of plastic bottles recycled
The City of Tucson, for example, has approved a new plastic recycling program that aims for zero waste. This program pays $0.15 per pound of plastic bottles recycled. Tucson is also working with ByFusion to turn unrecyclable plastics into building blocks. The city signed a $1 million contract and will pay $2.4 million extra to build a facility at Los Reales Sustainability Campus, where ByFusion will operate a machine called a Micro Diversion Platform.
Despite these efforts, Arizona cities struggle to maintain recycling programs because of high costs. One of the main challenges of traditional plastic recycling is that contamination with food scraps or other residues can send whole loads to the landfill. To address this issue, Tucson is considering offering curbside pickup services to residents, so that hard-to-recycle plastic waste can be deposited separately from other recyclables.
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Tucson is working to turn plastic into building blocks
The City of Tucson also offers a recycling program that pays $0.15 per pound of plastic bottles recycled. However, one of the main challenges of traditional plastic recycling is that contamination with food scraps or other residues can send whole loads to the landfill. Tucson's new program aims to address this issue by not requiring any sorting or cleaning of the unrecyclable plastics. For now, the plastic must be left at city drop-off sites, but the company is considering offering curbside pickup services to residents.
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Tucson is partnering with ByFusion to collect and transform unrecyclable plastics
In Tucson, Arizona, the amount you get paid for recycling plastic bottles depends on where you live. The City of Tucson offers a recycling program that pays $0.15 per pound of plastic bottles recycled.
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Tucson is considering offering curbside pickup services for plastic waste
Tucson is also working to turn plastic waste into building blocks. The city signed a $1 million contract and will pay $2.4 million extra to build a facility at Los Reales Sustainability Campus, where ByFusion will operate a Blocker machine, called a Micro Diversion Platform. The Micro Diversion Platforms use steam and compression to produce 22-pound blocks.
Kevin Greene, chair of the working group, said they would like the City of Tucson to work with local businesses and institutions to pilot reusable and refillable container systems and invest in Zero Waste education. Greene said the city is placing too much emphasis on researching downstream waste management, which creates products of less value and doesn't address the production of trash.
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Frequently asked questions
The City of Tucson offers a recycling program that pays $0.15 per pound of plastic bottles recycled.
Tucson is working to turn plastic into building blocks. The city signed a $1 million contract and will pay an extra $2.4 million to build a facility at Los Reales Sustainability Campus, where the company will operate a Blocker machine, called a Micro Diversion Platform.
All the hard-to-recycle plastic waste, numbered 3 through 7, which can't go into the blue bin, can be deposited at city drop-off sites.
Arizona cities struggle to maintain recycling programs because of high costs. Traditional plastic recycling is also challenging because contamination with food scraps or other residues can send whole loads to the landfill.
