Opinions differ. Single-stream recycling collection and processing is either the demise of recycling or its salvation for the future. As with most things, neither of these extremes is completely true - and as in most things in solid waste management, no one best system suits every location. While many assert that single-stream service leads to increases in recycling tonnage, improve collection efficiency and save on collection cost, others argue that single-stream programs lead to: 1.Increases in processing costs; 2. Increases in contamination to levels unacceptable to end users; 3. Negative market impacts (costs and load rejections). Each of the aforementioned criticisms ring true in some communities; however, decision-making should be based on reliable analyses rather than merely on individual case studies. Program decision-making needs verifiable results, input on the relative sizes of the various impacts and the trade-offs on tons, costs and cost-effectiveness associated with single-stream - and careful analysis is needed to examine these issues.
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