Sorting for residents was simple with all recyclables placed loosely and unbagged in a blue curbside container. The participation rate citywide was then approximately 90 percent. The sorting process was conducted in a number of locations using a number of technologies. Based on the success of the program, the Public Works Department decided to move forward, and in 1991 gained approval from the Mayor and City Council for city wide implementation of Phoenix Recycles. In early 1992, the Mayor and City Council approved a contract with the privately owned company New England CRInc. to sort and market recyclable materials collected in the Phoenix Recycles program.
Most separation is automatic in the custom-designed processing system.
The key sorting elements of that MRF are the inclined sorting machines used to separate flat papers from rolling containers, glass containers, lightweight plastics and aluminum. In 1995, New England CRInc was sold to Waste Management, a division of the WMX Corporation. In early 1998, the plant was sold to Hudson Baylor West. The Solid Waste Education staff conducts public tours of the 27th Avenue Solid Waste Management MRF and other projects. Both revenue streams vary greatly due to the volatility of recycling commodity market fluctuations.