The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) initiative has announced the results of three studies examining the environmental and economic impacts of recycling in the state. The reports provide insight into what is being recycled in Iowa, the value and environmental impacts of landfilled materials, and the recovery rate of Iowa’s deposit beverage containers.
The Landfill Material Analysis Report notes that Iowans landfilled more than $95M of reusable, recyclable, and compostable materials that could have been diverted through existing landfill diversion programs. The investigated landfilled materials that could have been recovered for recycling, reuse, composting, and remanufacturing. The analysis includes material recoverability and impacts to greenhouse gas emissions and Iowa’s economy through job creation and the value of materials lost to the landfill.
The Iowa Recycling Facility Study tracks where recyclables go after they leave the curbside or recycling collection containers. The study documents the tonnages of traditional recyclables managed in Iowa, and an accompanying interactive map displays the flow of these materials to accumulators and processors throughout the state for marketing.
Finally, the 2022 Deposit Container Recovery Rate Report notes that states with beverage container deposit programs consistently show increased recovery and cleaner containers, as compared to those with traditional curbside and drop-off collection programs. The report provides the methodology and calculated recovery rate of the state’s beverage container deposit law, also known as the “bottle bill.”
The Iowa DNR SMM program aims to protect human health and the environment through effective and efficient use of natural resources throughout the lifecycle of consumer products. To learn more, see here.
