In 2005, the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas, asked
Waste Management to help the city boost participation in recycling
by area residents.
Working with the local government, WM developed
a year-round recycling education program that taught residents how
to recycle properly. In addition to educational tours for local
students at the material recovery center in Little Rock, WM also
helped devise a Green Bin Instant Win program that rewarded residents
for proper curbside recycling.
The results were gratifying. In the first few months,
more than 700 residents requested new recycling bins, and more than
5,000 people enrolled in the program. The city experienced a 12-percent
increase in tons recycled during this time.
