The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Bureau of Waste Management today released results of their 2011 Community Recycling Survey.

The study shows that 85 percent of Kansans recycle household waste through curbside and/or drop-off recycling programs.

Bill Bider, Director of the Bureau of Waste Management, compared the results to the last survey in 2005.  The largest improvement in recycling was in plastics which increased from 33 percent participation to 70 percent. The survey also indicated that 35 percent more households were recycling cardboard in 2011 than in 2005, and 33 percent more were recycling magazines.

Additional findings from the survey include:

o 81 percent of households recycle aluminum cans

o 70 percent of households recycle plastics

o 56 percent of households recycle newspapers

o 45 percent of households recycle cardboard

o 44 percent of households recycle other paper

o 96 percent of respondents consider recycling to be important

More than 93 percent of respondents expressed their support for the proper disposal of household hazardous wastes, environmentally sound operations of landfills, and a reduction in illegal dumping.

The 2011 Community Recycling Survey is a comprehensive statewide study that measures and tracks the growth of recycling in Kansas.