Garbage management in outdoor areas presents a number of difficulties. Residents may simply sort their waste into recycling, compost, and landfill in their homes because to Seattle Public Utilities’ great system.
Seattle is noted for its innovative waste management system, which diverted 54% of waste from landfills by 2020. Many communities across the country look to our community as an example of how to deal with waste responsibly because we are an industry leader in this field.
However, there are numerous obstacles to overcome in our parks in order to divert rubbish from the landfill. Beverage containers may not be emptied, plastic tubs may retain food waste, paper may become moist, and the wrong item may be placed in the wrong bin, contaminating the remainder of the container. When you include in the rain, mice, and other wildlife, as well as the dispersed location of our bins, it’s easy to see why outdoor garbage management is so difficult!
Seattle Parks & Recreation is testing new bins and decals to encourage appropriate garbage sorting in our parks, and the second of two waste audits will be conducted at some athletic fields to see how we’re doing. There are, however, certain things you can do to help.
It’s time to pack it in, and it’s time to pack it out.
Bringing your trash home with you is one of the most effective strategies to ensure that it is properly disposed of. This makes it possible to rinse and dry recyclables, which is difficult to do in a park. You’ll also be able to compost your food waste, which isn’t an option in most parks.
Dry and Empty
If you have a bottle, make sure to empty it and remove the cap before recycling it. Soda is not recyclable, and storing it in the bottle puts other goods at danger of contamination. Plus, liquid is a hefty substance! Less weight would be appreciated by our crews.
Pause, read, and sort
Take a moment before tossing your trash in a bin to double-check that everything is in its proper position. The majority of parks will include black or gray bins for trash, blue bins for recycling, and green bins for compostable products. Check out SPU’s There Does It Go guide if you’re not sure what goes where.
Report a Problem
With 489 parks to manage and SPR workers on the ground every day, your eyes can be a tremendous help. Call our Parks Work Order number at (206) 684-7250 or report it on the Find it Fix it App if you notice a problem with our rubbish containers.
We can ensure that the rubbish in our parks is properly disposed of by working together as a community. This has a positive influence on the environment, conserves resources, and keeps our parks clean. 45,000 cubic yards of garbage were removed from landfills in 2020. What options do we have in 2022?