Recycling volumes could rise significantly - to the obvious benefit of the environment - if a proposed "high tech" recycling facility is built in South Buffalo.  The Buffalo Planning Board gave the proposal its first official review this week.

A "single-stream" recycling facility proposed by private companies would sort their customers' recyclables for them.  Residents would be able to put paper, plastic, glass and metal into the same container, making it easier for residents to comply with recycling laws, and thus resulting in higher recycling volumes for the average person. 

The all-in-one recycling container "should greatly improve participation rates" by residents, said Steven J. Stepniak, Buffalo's Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Streets, according to The Buffalo News [1].  Currently only 10% of the city's waste is recycled, versus 15-52% for some neighboring towns.  For instance, a separate Waste Management, Inc. single-stream facility claims to have increased recovery by 30% more materials [2].

The future South Buffalo facility - proposed by Buffalo Recycling Enterprise, a joint venture - will use a sophisticated system of conveyors, sensors, magnets and people to sort the waste.  The Enterprise would seek municipal and private sources of waste in Western New York State.

If the effort receives all necessary approvals, the sorting site could be up in 2009, according to the article.