A curbside recycling program introduced in unincorporated Pierce County 18 years ago is increasing the amount of waste materials away from landfills and into recycling centers, according to a report released this week.

The report, which follows the recycling program over the past three years, shows that residents diverted 42,468 tons from landfill disposal last year (a 6.5 percent increase over 2006), and 98 percent of approximately 116 tons collected each day through the county’s single-cart curbside recycling program is “pure.”

“Our low 2 percent contamination rate is the envy of recycling programs across the region and nation,” said Steve Wamback, the county’s solid waste administrator.

Garbage haulers believe the “pure” rate can be attributed to the lack of glass, successful public education efforts and residents’ familiarity with setting recyclables at the curb.

Collecting and disposing of garbage costs $188 a ton; collecting, processing and recycling residential household waste costs $112 a ton. Besides the low contamination rate, 94 of every 100 garbage customers are recycling customers as well. They divert one-third of their household garbage through curbside recycling.

Both participation and the amount recycled are growing. The amount recycled would fill more than 150 tractor trailers each month. “Growth in the program is exceeding population growth,” Wamback said. “But we believe there are still recyclables in the waste that goes to the landfill. So we have room for improvement.”

Glass is the one recycling area that didn’t show an increase, according to the report. The county dropped glass from the curbside program in 2005 and transitioned from a three-bin system to the single-cart program. “We asked customers to recycle glass through drop-off locations rather than in the single cart to preserve the recyclable nature of the paper and plastic collected in the cart,” Wamback said.

To view a copy of the curbside recycling report, visit piercecountywa.org/recycling.