Dry Recyclable Mixed

Overview of Arrangements for Dry Recyclables

The collection of Dry Mixed Recyclables (DMR) can be via three main types of system:

• Kerbside sort - involves the sorting of materials (usually presented by residents in one or more 55 litre boxes) at the kerbside into different compartments of a specialist collection vehicle
• Single Stream Co-mingled (fully Co-mingled) - involves the collection of materials in one receptacle (usually a 240 litre bin) and collected in a single compartment vehicle with the subsequent sorting of these materials at a MRF
• Two Stream Co-mingled (Twin Stream) - residents are provided with two recycling containers (boxes or bins and occasionally reusable bags) and are asked to place different materials in each container, typically paper/card (i.e. fibre based material) in one and plastics, glass, and cans in the other (i.e. container and '3 dimensional' items). These materials are kept separate either by the use of a vehicle with two separate compartments or in one vehicle which collects each material stream on alternate weekly arrangements. This material is then subsequently sorted at a simple or complex MRF, according to circumstances.

Variations

The collection arrangements can therefore vary according to the type of broad approach, the containers used and the frequency of collection. They will also vary according to the way the service is linked to the collection of Food, Green and Residual waste streams - the combination of which is further set out in a separate page on Collection System Design

Below are the Collection Authorities that utilise this arrangement and are listed below for comparative purposes. In the case of this page the links will be all those that collect Dry Recyclables on a mixed basis, but not a Co-mingled basis i.e. Twin Streamed