City of Fargo Facing Issues With Residents ‘Wishcycling’

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — The City of Fargo is facing problems with its recycling program – thanks to an issue that they call “wishcycling.”

Wishcycling is a term used for when an item is placed into the recycling bin that is not actually recyclable.

Most people don’t check the recyclability of products and just hope that it is – hence the “wish” in wishcycling.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 25% of the items that end up in recycling bins are not recyclable

Those may include such varied items as Roombas, DVDs, shredded paper, plastic bags, and scrap wood.

“We have our blue recycling bin at home, it’s on the lid what can go in the bin. If you bring items to one of our recycling job sites we have signs all over the place indicating what can be accepted. Information is also on our website,” said Jen Pickett, Recycling Supervisor for the City of Fargo.

Experts say that wishcycling is a drain because workers must expend extra time and effort to sort these incorrect items out, adding complexity to the recycling process. This added workload leads to increased operational costs, affecting the overall economic viability of recycling programs.