Fairhope, Alabama
MAYOR CALLS IT "A MESS"
Because of dwindling public participation, reduced market-ablilty for recyclables, and other problems, Mayor Kant told a city council work session its time to make some "hard decisions" about the city's recycling program.
Kant: "Are we going to be in the recycling business ... or not ... ?"
"The second question ... is how?"
Kant said that to prepare next year's budget he needs some direction from the council and Recycling Committee about how to proceed: either continue sorting at the curb or to switch to co-mingling -- where recyclables are mixed together in one container instead, and sorted out later.
Kant: "We need some direction ... its a mess right now ... how we're trying to deal with it."
Recycling Committee member Councilman Ford agreed: "It is a mess ... before ... we separated at curbside ... but people see a garbage truck come by ... and everything thrown into that ... ."
Ford said Fairhope has fallen behind other cities (in recycling) where "we led the way before."
EQUIPMENT FAILURES BLAMED
Kant said complaints are coming in from citizens who go to all the trouble to separate their items, only to see city workers dump them all into the same container on the pick-up truck.
Public Works Director Fidler said recycling items have to be mixed together sometimes now because of equipment failures: the recycling truck has to be used elsewhere because of garbage truck breakdowns and other manpower issues.
Fidler: "Every time we turn around one of the new garbage trucks is breaking down ... we can't separate ... don't have enough trucks ... with the manpower ... to separate."
Fidler said the co-mingled recyclables are then taken to a recycling plant in Loxley -- and sold at a greatly reduced rate (compared to if they had already been separated).
TO CO-MINGLE OR NOT?
The Recycling Committee is to meet to study the facts to make a recommendation whether to continue requiring citizens to separate their items at the curb or switch officially to the easier-for-citizens but less profitable co-mingling method.
Mayor Kant said it would be brought up for consideration at an upcoming strategic planning meeting as well.
Kant: "We put off buying equipment for four years because we didn't know if we were going to be in the sanitation business or not ... ."
Back in 2009, the city was planning to participate in Baldwin County's proposed Team Green single stream recycling; but that idea died when the company went bankrupt (click).
MORE COMMITTEE MEMBERS NEEDED
Applications are still being solicited for the Recycling Committee which will be studying the issue.
They may be obtained from the city clerk's office (click).
Ford: "I don't know how we got in the shape we're in ... but we've got a lot of recovery ... examination to do ... ."
MAYOR CALLS IT "A MESS"
Because of dwindling public participation, reduced market-ablilty for recyclables, and other problems, Mayor Kant told a city council work session its time to make some "hard decisions" about the city's recycling program.
Kant: "Are we going to be in the recycling business ... or not ... ?"
"The second question ... is how?"
Kant said that to prepare next year's budget he needs some direction from the council and Recycling Committee about how to proceed: either continue sorting at the curb or to switch to co-mingling -- where recyclables are mixed together in one container instead, and sorted out later.
Kant: "We need some direction ... its a mess right now ... how we're trying to deal with it."
Recycling Committee member Councilman Ford agreed: "It is a mess ... before ... we separated at curbside ... but people see a garbage truck come by ... and everything thrown into that ... ."
Ford said Fairhope has fallen behind other cities (in recycling) where "we led the way before."
EQUIPMENT FAILURES BLAMED
Kant said complaints are coming in from citizens who go to all the trouble to separate their items, only to see city workers dump them all into the same container on the pick-up truck.
Public Works Director Fidler said recycling items have to be mixed together sometimes now because of equipment failures: the recycling truck has to be used elsewhere because of garbage truck breakdowns and other manpower issues.
Fidler: "Every time we turn around one of the new garbage trucks is breaking down ... we can't separate ... don't have enough trucks ... with the manpower ... to separate."
Fidler said the co-mingled recyclables are then taken to a recycling plant in Loxley -- and sold at a greatly reduced rate (compared to if they had already been separated).
TO CO-MINGLE OR NOT?
The Recycling Committee is to meet to study the facts to make a recommendation whether to continue requiring citizens to separate their items at the curb or switch officially to the easier-for-citizens but less profitable co-mingling method.
Mayor Kant said it would be brought up for consideration at an upcoming strategic planning meeting as well.
Kant: "We put off buying equipment for four years because we didn't know if we were going to be in the sanitation business or not ... ."
Back in 2009, the city was planning to participate in Baldwin County's proposed Team Green single stream recycling; but that idea died when the company went bankrupt (click).
MORE COMMITTEE MEMBERS NEEDED
Applications are still being solicited for the Recycling Committee which will be studying the issue.
They may be obtained from the city clerk's office (click).
Ford: "I don't know how we got in the shape we're in ... but we've got a lot of recovery ... examination to do ... ."
Comments
One of these days I will get back across town with enough time to find all that out, but you can't really expect people to participate this way. If I hadn't already known there was a program, I wouldn't know to ask. How many more like me don't know to ask at all?