According to a 2020 Countywide Recyclable Materials Composition Study, the County's contamination rate was 19%. This means that 1 in 5 items placed in recycling curbside and drop off containers were contamination. The top five contaminants identified in the 2020 study were plastic bags, tanglers such as cords, ropes, and hoses, foam packaging products, food waste and food residue, and yard waste.