The Department of Ecology attributes the decline to a flat resale market, mature curbside recycling programs and, primarily, weak commercial collection. King County, however, scored well with curbside recycling again in 1999, with nearly half of all household waste recycled. About 253,000 King County households recycled 47 percent of their residential waste. King County data is for all single-family households except those within the City of Seattle. The data shows that curbside recycling tonnage increased 7.2 percent over 1998 from 175,800 tons to 188,500 tons.
Recycling saves ratepayers money and is good for the environment.
The County is also optimistic its recycling rates will increase and markets will grow. In addition to successful curbside recycling and waste reduction programs like Waste Free Holidays , Grasscycling , and Green Works , the Solid Waste Division also launched a Computer Recovery Program in 2000 that recycled more than 2,000 computers in its first year. King County's Commission for Marketing Recyclable Materials works to develop markets for recycled materials and recycled products such as paper, tires, bottles and carpets. Along with the Commission's established recycling programs such as Product Stewardship and Get in the Loop , the Commission initiated the LinkUp program in 2000. The program encourages man ufacturers to incorporate more recycled materials into products they make.