Feet on the Street cart-tagging recycling project

The City of Renton will initiate the "Feet on the Street" cart-tagging project in March 2025, collaborating with the Washington State Department of Ecology and The Recycling Partnership to enhance recycling efforts among local residents. This program will engage over 9,000 households, aiming to improve the quality of single-stream curbside recycling by providing real-time feedback and education on proper recycling practices. John MacGillivray, Sustainability Specialist with the City of Renton, highlighted the residents' enthusiasm for recycling and the importance of this initiative in keeping the program sustainable and affordable. The project builds on a successful 2022 pilot that involved 2,000 households and aims to decrease contamination from non-recyclables. Funded by the Department of Ecology, this effort is part of the broader Recycle Right campaign designed to mitigate contamination issues affecting Washington's recycling systems.

The program includes trained community observers who will provide educational feedback through cart tags when contaminants are detected. Renton is among several municipalities awarded funding for contamination reduction projects this year, reflecting a statewide commitment to improving recycling quality. For more information about what can be recycled, residents are encouraged to visit the city's recycling website.