Nashville Metro leaders are celebrating America Recycles Day by highlighting the importance of proper recycling practices. All recycling collected in Nashville is processed at a Waste Management facility in East Nashville. The city contracts with the company to sort through paper, plastic, and glass, then sell it to factories. The Department of Waste Services recycles as much as they can, but people often contaminate materials by bagging items or trying to recycle non-accepted materials. Plastic bags can cause issues at the facility, leading to contamination and landfill waste.
A new pilot program using artificial intelligence is being implemented to ensure the correct items are being recycled and reduce contamination. Items need to be thrown loose in a bin and free of food waste for proper processing. The goal is to speed up the sorting process and increase the efficiency of recycling. Despite challenges, Harris says that if material is accepted at the facility, it will be recycled and that items like aluminum cans can return to store shelves in as little as 60 days.
The Waste Management facility uses machines and manual sorting to process materials efficiently. Metro leaders hope that by increasing awareness and education about proper recycling practices, the community can work together to reduce waste and promote a more sustainable future. This article was originally published by WSMV and is subject to copyright.
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