AUBURN — Solid waste officials hope to inspire people to leave more recycling curbside by getting local retailers to showcase some of the benefits.

City retailers are being asked to create displays showing the things they sell that are made from post-consumer, recycled waste. It's part of the city's effort to mark Maine Recycles Week, Nov. 8-15.

"In the past, we've worked with the schools or put fliers in our recycling bins to raise awareness about recycling collections," said Sid Hazelton, assistant director of Auburn's Public Works Department. "This year, we thought we'd try something a bit different to show people why they should recycle, and how it helps."

Hazelton has confirmed recycling displays at Office Max on Center Street and is working to get displays set up at The Home Deport and Wal-Mart, he said.

"There tend to be a lot more recycled materials in what we buy than we suspect," he said. "It's more than just office paper. There are building materials and supplies that use post-consumer waste, too. There are whole ranges of things people can use that can really help."

Maine Recycles Week was created by the State Planning Office to remind people to recycle. The city has a 25 percent recycling rate but hopes to improve, Hazelton said.

"There are a lot of programs we're investigating that other communities have used to increase their recycling rates," he said. They include single-stream systems that don't require people to sort their recyclables. Everything that can be recycled goes into a single container and is sorted at a central facility.

The city is also looking at paid programs, which would require people to buy special bags for trash collection. Recycling collection would remain free of charge under those programs, to encourage people to recycle more and throw less into the trash.

"There are a lot of programs we're investigating, but right now we're trying to focus on raising awareness," Hazelton said.

staylor@sunjournal.com