The Recycling Challenge for Local Governments

2010 Recycling Challenge
Introduction
Activities and Resources
Success Stories

Local governments throughout the Greater Kansas City region play important roles in how we handle our waste. For the region to sustainably manage the waste it produces, the MARC Solid Waste Management District needs involvement from local governments and citizens alike.

The Recycling Challenge for Local Governments helps cities and counties work towards the district's goal of diverting 80 percent of our region's waste from landfills by 2023. Through this initiative, the district provides guidance on how to put the 80x2023 vision into practice over the coming years.

Participating communities are given resources and technical assistance to help them lead regional waste diversion efforts. Challenge members can select any number of activities from a list of actions that focus on education, services, policies and programs — all of which are designed to address local waste management needs and issues.

Our region currently diverts only about 25 percent of its waste. Increasing awareness of existing waste reduction, reuse, and recycling programs can help keep materials out of landfills, but for residents to divert more of their waste, they need to know how and where they can properly dispose of materials. Getting the region to 40 percent waste diversion by 2013 can be realized in large part by improving access to core solid waste services, which include:

Improving access to these core solid waste services will go a long way towards helping the region create a sustainable solid waste management system — an integrated, cooperative approach that emphasizes waste minimization and diversion. A sustainable system not only produces less waste, but it also conserves our natural resources, keeps our communities clean, protects public health, and supports and grows our local economy — all of which help to maintain and improve our region?s quality of life.

For questions about the Recycling Challenge, district resources or technical assistance, contact Matt Riggs, Outreach Coordinator, at 816-701-8313 or mriggs@marc.org.