Why do dirty materials recovery facilities usually recover less recyclable material?

Dirty materials recovery facilities (MRFs) typically recover less recyclable material—often not exceeding 30 percent of the total waste stream—because they process a broad, unseparated mixture of solid waste rather than relying on source-separated collections.1

Because these facilities handle 100 percent of the waste stream without prior sorting by residents or businesses, the recovered recyclables suffer from significant contamination. Specifically, the quality of these materials is lowered by contact with moist garbage and broken glass, which complicates the sorting process and reduces the overall yield of high-quality, marketable recyclables. In contrast, clean facilities receive materials that have already been separated from general refuse, resulting in much lower contamination levels.12