In the six months since the City of St. Louis shifted from alley recycling to drop-off recycling, contamination is down 83% from August 2025 to February 2026, compared to the same time period in 2024-2025.
In addition, the City has seen an 8% increase in materials recycled compared to the same period from 2024-2025. With the increase in the number of drop-off sites, combined with the efforts of dedicated residents, the City is diverting more trash from landfills while also reducing costs.
Read the full six-month Drop-Off Recycling Report for more details on the benefits of drop-off recycling and tips for how residents can continue to impact the program’s success.
For more information, visit https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/street/news/drop-off-recycling-efforts-result-in-significant-decrease-in-recycling-contamination-and-an-increase-in-materials-diverted-from-landfills.cfm.