Organizing a Community Recycling Program for Your Homeowners Association

Is your community thinking about starting a recycling initiative? Excellent idea! Recycling brings numerous benefits, such as conserving energy, saving water, preserving natural resources, reducing air pollution, and freeing up landfill space. Plus, it can also offer economic advantages by cutting down on the costs associated with waste management, like collection and transportation.

If you're unsure where to start, a property management company can be an invaluable resource, offering tips and ensuring compliance with local regulations. For those communities with professional management, the team can guide you through the process, ensuring all legalities are covered.

Here are some practical steps and considerations to help your association kickstart a successful recycling program.

1) Build a team

The initial step is to form a committee of committed volunteers who will oversee the entire process. This team will be responsible for researching which materials to recycle, choosing and distributing collection bins, selecting a recycling vendor, and more.

Begin by reaching out to local recycling coordinators, talking to waste haulers, and conducting online research with keywords related to recycling. Your property management team can offer support in vendor selection, contract negotiations, and budgeting. They might also facilitate partnerships with nearby communities to share costs. Additionally, the management company can provide guidance on state or local regulations, ensuring your program complies with all requirements.

Once your committee gathers the necessary information, they can present recommendations to the Board, leading to...

2. Develop a plan

Based on your committee’s findings, your association should craft a comprehensive recycling plan. Consider what materials will be recycled, resident participation, whether recyclables will be collected from a central location or picked up from homes, and the frequency of collection.

3. What will you recycle?

Identify what materials your community frequently discards through a waste assessment. Common recyclables include newspapers, magazines, cardboard, glass containers, plastics, and aluminum cans. Once identified, research local markets and haulers for these materials to effectively integrate them into your recycling strategy.

4. Let residents know

After finalizing the plan, clearly communicate it to residents. Highlight the benefits of recycling and explain how they can engage—where to deposit recyclables, or how and when they will be collected, and specify which materials are accepted.

Utilize various communication channels such as your community newsletter, direct mail, email, flyers, notices in common areas, and door hangers to spread the word.

Introducing and executing a recycling initiative not only benefits the environment but also enhances community spirit. It's a wonderful way to make a positive impact while feeling good about contributing to a sustainable future.