Municipal Measurement Program will standardize community recycling performance data

Re-TRAC Connect and The Recycling Partnership, Falls Church, Virginia, have launched the first phase of the Municipal Measurement Program (MMP). MMP is designed to provide municipalities with a materials management program analysis and planning tool to standardize terminology and harmonize methodologies in support of consistent measurement of recycling data across the U.S. and Canada. The program will enable municipalities to benchmark performance and then identify and replicate successes, leading to better investment decisions and a stronger U.S. recycling system, the partners say.

Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Emerge Knowledge, the company that has developed Re-TRAC Connect, was founded in 2001 to develop solutions that help organizations achieve their sustainability goals. The first version of its data management software, Re-TRAC, was launched in 2004, and the next generation, Re-TRAC Connect, was released in 2011. Re-TRAC Connect is used by city, county, state/provincial and national government agencies as well as a by wide range of other organizations to collect, manage and analyze recycling and solid waste data.

The new measurement program’s goal is to reach most municipalities in the U.S. and Canada to advance the standardization and harmonization of material measurement of curbside recycling and to facilitate decision-making to improve recycling program performance. Without adequate performance data, municipal program managers can struggle to identify the best course of action to improve recycling, the partners say.

“The Re-TRAC Connect team is extremely excited about launching the Municipal Measurement Program in collaboration with The Recycling Partnership,” says Rick Penner, president of Emerge Knowledge. “The MMP is designed to help municipalities measure the success of their programs while creating a national database of standardized information that will benefit the entire industry. Working with The Recycling Partnership to promote, manage and enhance the MMP over time will ensure that the many benefits of this exciting new program are fully realized.”

Based on data submitted to the MMP, municipalities will be introduced to recycling tools and resources developed by The Recycling Partnership. Participation in the program is free to communities, and the goal is to create a standardized system for reporting contamination data, the partners say.

“The Municipal Measurement Program will revolutionize the way we collect performance data, including capture rates and contamination, and transform our recycling systems for the better,” states Scott Mouw, senior director of strategy and research, The Recycling Partnership. “Currently, every municipality has its own way of measuring and assessing their community’s performance. The MMP will streamline that data and connect municipalities to The Recycling Partnership’s free online toolkits of best practices to help communities improve recycling by operating more efficiently.”

Municipalities interested in participating in the beta testing phase of the MMP should visit www.recyclesearch.com/profile/mmp. The official launch is scheduled for January 2019.