Recycling Coming to the National Mall

The National Mall is meant to be “America’s Front Yard.” But while most Americans have embraced recycling, our official front yard has been stuck in the pre-recycling era. Finally, that’s about to change.

This summer, the National Park Service and Coca-Cola are working together to study how much of the garbage on the National Mall can be collected and recycled. By October, NPS will begin distributing recycling bins in locations where they’ll be most convenient and utilized.

Part of the delay in installing recycling bins around the National Mall is a $390 million backlog of maintenance and improvements necessary on the Mall. Coca-Cola’s gift of $1.1 million well help NPS overcome financial obstacles so recycling can be started as soon as possible.

Believe it or not, the National Mall attracts more visitors every year than Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon combined. With 25 million people visiting the Mall, it’s imperative that the NPS design a more sustainable waste management system than the one already in place.

Officials are hoping that revenue generated by selling the recyclable waste can be re-invested in maintaining the National Mall.

To read a full WTOP story on the new recycling initiative on their website, click HERE.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User brownpau