Shorewood Recycled 2.3 Million Pounds in 2012

Shorewood recycled 2,297,640 pounds, or 1148.82 tons, of material last year, according to numbers reported to the village by Waste Management.

Recycling is up in the village from last year, and above an average over the past six years, but comes in lower than neighboring Whitefish Bay for recycling in 2012. 

Of the total collected recyclables, just over 2 million pounds was collected curbside, which benefits the village, as it receives 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the materials collected under an agreement with Waste Management, said Shorewood Department Public Works Director Leeann Butschlick. The village, however, does not get a cut of proceeds for materials brought to the DPW center for recycling.

“The more that we can push to the curb, the much better financially it is for the village,” she said.

In comparison, Whitefish Bay reported collection of 3,321,727 pounds in materials, or 1,661 tons, in 2012. 

Based on population, the pounds recycled per person translate to the following:

• Shorewood — approximately 169.7 pounds
• Whitefish Bay — approximately 235.5 pounds

With that said, Butschlick said 4,910,000 pounds of refuse was picked up in 2012, so the village has some room for improvement.

“We have some room to reduce that number, and increase our recyclables collection,” she said.

In Shorewood, recycling is up from 2011, with 750 tons, or roughly 1.5 million pounds, materials collected that year.

Waste Management reported that in 2010 it had hauled just over 980 tons of recyclable material from the village.  In 2009 that number was 1,170 tons, in 2008 1,223 tons and in 2007 it was 1,290 tons.

More than half of the residences in Shorewood are multi-family or condominium residences, which by ordinance are required to contract for their own recycling services. 

Numbers from these residences are not included in the total — and Shorewood has a much higher percentage of multi-family residences than any community in the North Shore.