NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 3, 2003 DPW To Start Recycling Pilot in Ward 7 Neighborhood Department of Public Works (DPW) begins Recycling Pilot (Washington, DC) Recycling collection in the District has been an issue of significant concern to many residents. To improve service and manage operating costs, DPW is launching a small pilot program this week that will test the agency’s ability to bring recycling “in-house,” by 2005. Over the next week, the recycling pilot will be implemented on one trash collection route in Ward 7. Residents in the pilot area, which includes approximately 700 households, were notified on May 21 via letter. New BLUE recycling carts were delivered on May 28 and collection – using the carts rather than the old bins – will begin on June 4. The route chosen for the pilot is a roughly crescent-shaped area bounded by Texas Avenue, Burns Street, H Street, 46th Street, Southern Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue, Alabama Avenue, Burns Street, and Ridge Road SE. "We wanted to begin with a neighborhood that was representative of other Supercan collection areas, in terms of service mix (curbside vs. alley collection), population density and topography,” said Thomas Henderson, Administrator of the Solid Waste Management Administration. Central to the proposed program is a new 32-gallon BLUE recycling cart that will replace the old bins. Like miniature Supercans, the carts have wheels and lids. The pilot will also introduce residents to “Single Sort” recycling, which means that all recyclables will go into the same container. Customers will no longer have to keep paper and other recyclables separated, nor will they have to lift heavy bins. Map outline of trash collection route #705, where the Recycling Pilot Program will begin.. Page 1 of 3      1  2  3