Chicago exploring incentives to boost dismal recycling rate

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration is exploring the possibility of offering recycling homeowners a break on their monthly garbage collection fee to boost a "dismal" recycling rate that has dropped to just 9 percent since the rules were changed to "Go Bagless."

The 22 percent drop in a participation rate that was disappointing to begin with has also prompted a "back-to-basics" approach on the Southeast Side, where only 4.5 percent of homeowners bother to recycle.

Waste Management, the private waste hauler that handles recycling in that area, will simplify the rules by asking 1,400 homeowners to recycle only three categories of items: paper, metal and glass.

If that works to boost recycling rates, the "back-to-basics" approach could be expanded citywide.

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