Earth Day: St. Cloud Residents Embracing Single-Sort Recycling

ST. CLOUD - St. Cloud residents are embracing the single-sort recycling system.

City spokesman Dan Legatt says, "In 2013 we collected 3,400 tons of recycling, and in 2014 it was our first full year of the system and we collected close to 4,000 tons of recycling. So that's about an additional 600 tons of recycling that we added to our recycling stream since going to the automated single stream system."

In August of 2013 St. Cloud went from a weekly recycling system using 18-gallon green tubs, to the new automated bi-weekly system that uses 95 gallon blue bins. The new system also allowed the city to cut down on the number of recycling trucks from seven down to four.

He says, "Right now in the St. Cloud community about 30 percent of all materials collected is recycling. Nationwide that is a pretty good percentage rate. The city of St. Cloud should be happy with those numbers, and the community is doing a great job."

When St. Cloud changed its recycling system back in 2013 it created quite a fuss among the residents. But, Legatt says its been a success, and now most of the feedback is positive.

The cost for recycling is $7.30 plus tax per household per month.

Today (Wednesday), by the way, is Earth Day.