en español
The Oklahoma City Utilities Department invites residents to participate in an online survey about their recycling habits. The survey can be found at okc.gov/recyclesurvey. It seeks to understand how residents use the City’s curbside recycling program, their perceptions of it and ways the City can improve communication about what can and cannot be recycled.
The survey, available in English and Spanish, is open to all customers who receive curbside recycling services from the City of Oklahoma City. It features 20 quick questions and takes about five minutes to complete.
Why your input matters
Customer feedback will help shape a new education and outreach program to reduce contamination in the recycling stream. Contamination occurs when non-recyclable items are placed in recycling carts, which creates extra costs, disrupts processing and can damage recycling equipment.
About 30% of items placed in OKC recycling carts are considered contaminated. Common culprits include plastic bags, hoses, cords, clothing, pots and pans, yard waste, and foam packaging—none of which are recyclable in Oklahoma City’s program. Contaminants not only increase sorting costs but can also cause significant issues, such as tangled hoses or cords getting caught in machinery, which delays the recycling process.
“We know many of our customers are passionate about recycling and do their best to recycle properly,” Jim Linn, the City’s Solid Waste Management Superintendent, said. “However, some customers may not be familiar with our guidelines. This survey will give us valuable insights to create a robust education campaign aimed at reducing contamination and improving the program for everyone.”
Take the survey today!
The survey will be open Nov. 26-Dec. 15. Participation is easy, anonymous and requires only a zip code—no names, addresses or account details are requested.
The feedback will help ensure Oklahoma City’s recycling program is efficient, sustainable and simple to use for all customers.
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Media Contact: Jasmine Morris, (405) 297-1950, jasmine.morris@okc.gov
