Fairhope, Alabama
MODIFIED SERVICE CONTINUES
The city's new Recycling Committee met recently to discus ways to improve and reinvigorate the city's faltering recycling program.
Recycling Supervisor Dale Linder opened by denying rumors that recycling had been suspended -- and the items collected disposed of along with regular garbage at the landfill.
Linder said the real issue is a that for the past year or so a series of truck mechanical problems have disrupted their regular recycling "model" -- forcing changes to normal curbside pickup procedures.
Linder: "I can guarantee everybody ... Jennifer (Director Fidler) and the mayor ... are very very serious about recycling ... ."
Linder said paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, and cans are the classifications currently being picked up curbside, taken to public works where they are put into bales -- and then trucked to a recycling center in Loxley where they are sold according to current market values (commodity prices).
Linder: "... the guys in New York set ... what is the current price for paper, cardboard, 25 other different categories ... we make 85% of our revenue from cardboard and paper ... ."
Aluminum is also highly valued.
"NOT A MONEY-MAKING OPERATION"
The city has been receiving about $110,000/yr. by selling the recyclables, but operational costs are usually about $335,000/yr.. (For the past year, revenue has been considerably lower because of the mechanical issues, according to Linder).
Linder: "Its not a money making operation ... but its a great thing ... because we're not putting it into the landfill (saves landfill tipping fees).. ."
The city already pays $18,000 -- $23,000 per month tipping fees to dump its normal garbage/refuse in the county's Magnolia Spring's landfill.
PARTICIPATION LOW
Linder said that currently only about only 42% of residents recycle anything, but participation varies by neighborhood (Quail Creek more, Rock Creek less).
Linder: "For 3 years ... we've been stuck at that number (42%) ... ."
He said retired and "environmentally-conscious" people tend to recycle more; but most of the new people moving in are not recycling -- or are used to the single stream model (all mixed together).
Linder said that over the last year, separating items at the curb has not been required: "... we've had so many problems with the trucks breaking down ... we've been forced to mix it (single stream) ... ."
Councilman Ford said he gets a lot of complaints from citizens wondering why its all being mixed together in the back of what appears to be garbage trucks -- after they have carefully separated it.
Ford: People think we're dumping it ... ."
Linder: "They see a big white truck pull up ... have no idea if its recycling or garbage ... ."
(Note: The mayor has decided to paint recycling trucks lime green to differentiate them from garbage trucks -- and ease the confusion.)
INCREASED PARTICIPATION THE KEY?
Committee member Stephen Delahunty said he thought participation should be the "number one priority."
Ford said he believed the program has a "public relations problem" and agreed that increasing participation was key: "The idea is not to make money ... but provide a service."
Linder said the quickest way to increase participation would be to officially end the curbside-separation requirement, and allow residents to put everything into one can.
Linder: "That's a quick way to get to 90% ... keeps material out of the landfill ... but we'll lose revenue."
TWO 'MODELS' PROPOSED
Linder said direction was needed from citizens about what kind of recycling program the city wanted:
*Maximize participation by mixing all recyclables together in one container at curbside?
*Sacrifice some participation and continue requiring sorting at the curb to increase their value?
[or a combination of the two (hybrid)]
Linder: "The committee needs to think about ... what is the next step for Fairhope ... which model do we want to pursue."
"Do we want to make money on these materials ... get into the commodity storage business ... or make it as easy as we can for the residents ... put it all in one can ... not worry about making money ... ."
Linder: "Its a big question ... impact what kind of trucks we buy ... how many people we hire ... that's why the recycling committee was formed... to decide these issues ... make recommendations to the city council ... ."
NEW BUILDING HELPS
According to Linder and Ford, the newly-acquired warehouse on Pecan Ave. could be used to store bales of materials (aluminum and paper/cardboard especially) -- to wait for market conditions to improve ("play the market").
After being co-mingled, collected in one can at curbside, the building could also be used as a place to separate all or some the items locally (rather than in Loxley) -- either manually or by using some type of machine.
Such machines can be costly, according to Linder.
PUBLIC'S OPINION SOUGHT
The committee decided to seek public input about how the community would like the service to work and to meet again in a month's time.
Each committee member was encouraged to come back with a list of suggestions to discuss.
Sending out questionnaires by mail and starting an education campaign, particularly in schools, was also discussed.
Civilian Committee Members are:
Nancy Anderson
Pete Bremer
Bart Cox
Stephen Delahunty
Gary Gover
Synthia Kaiser
Jeanine Normand
Don Prosch
Mark Stejskal
Councilmen Ford and Mueller are liaisons.
MODIFIED SERVICE CONTINUES
The city's new Recycling Committee met recently to discus ways to improve and reinvigorate the city's faltering recycling program.
Recycling Supervisor Dale Linder opened by denying rumors that recycling had been suspended -- and the items collected disposed of along with regular garbage at the landfill.
Linder said the real issue is a that for the past year or so a series of truck mechanical problems have disrupted their regular recycling "model" -- forcing changes to normal curbside pickup procedures.
Linder: "I can guarantee everybody ... Jennifer (Director Fidler) and the mayor ... are very very serious about recycling ... ."
Linder said paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, and cans are the classifications currently being picked up curbside, taken to public works where they are put into bales -- and then trucked to a recycling center in Loxley where they are sold according to current market values (commodity prices).
Linder: "... the guys in New York set ... what is the current price for paper, cardboard, 25 other different categories ... we make 85% of our revenue from cardboard and paper ... ."
Aluminum is also highly valued.
"NOT A MONEY-MAKING OPERATION"
The city has been receiving about $110,000/yr. by selling the recyclables, but operational costs are usually about $335,000/yr.. (For the past year, revenue has been considerably lower because of the mechanical issues, according to Linder).
Linder: "Its not a money making operation ... but its a great thing ... because we're not putting it into the landfill (saves landfill tipping fees).. ."
The city already pays $18,000 -- $23,000 per month tipping fees to dump its normal garbage/refuse in the county's Magnolia Spring's landfill.
PARTICIPATION LOW
Linder said that currently only about only 42% of residents recycle anything, but participation varies by neighborhood (Quail Creek more, Rock Creek less).
Linder: "For 3 years ... we've been stuck at that number (42%) ... ."
He said retired and "environmentally-conscious" people tend to recycle more; but most of the new people moving in are not recycling -- or are used to the single stream model (all mixed together).
Linder said that over the last year, separating items at the curb has not been required: "... we've had so many problems with the trucks breaking down ... we've been forced to mix it (single stream) ... ."
Councilman Ford said he gets a lot of complaints from citizens wondering why its all being mixed together in the back of what appears to be garbage trucks -- after they have carefully separated it.
Ford: People think we're dumping it ... ."
Linder: "They see a big white truck pull up ... have no idea if its recycling or garbage ... ."
(Note: The mayor has decided to paint recycling trucks lime green to differentiate them from garbage trucks -- and ease the confusion.)
INCREASED PARTICIPATION THE KEY?
Committee member Stephen Delahunty said he thought participation should be the "number one priority."
Ford said he believed the program has a "public relations problem" and agreed that increasing participation was key: "The idea is not to make money ... but provide a service."
Linder said the quickest way to increase participation would be to officially end the curbside-separation requirement, and allow residents to put everything into one can.
Linder: "That's a quick way to get to 90% ... keeps material out of the landfill ... but we'll lose revenue."
TWO 'MODELS' PROPOSED
Linder said direction was needed from citizens about what kind of recycling program the city wanted:
*Maximize participation by mixing all recyclables together in one container at curbside?
*Sacrifice some participation and continue requiring sorting at the curb to increase their value?
[or a combination of the two (hybrid)]
Linder: "The committee needs to think about ... what is the next step for Fairhope ... which model do we want to pursue."
"Do we want to make money on these materials ... get into the commodity storage business ... or make it as easy as we can for the residents ... put it all in one can ... not worry about making money ... ."
Linder: "Its a big question ... impact what kind of trucks we buy ... how many people we hire ... that's why the recycling committee was formed... to decide these issues ... make recommendations to the city council ... ."
NEW BUILDING HELPS
According to Linder and Ford, the newly-acquired warehouse on Pecan Ave. could be used to store bales of materials (aluminum and paper/cardboard especially) -- to wait for market conditions to improve ("play the market").After being co-mingled, collected in one can at curbside, the building could also be used as a place to separate all or some the items locally (rather than in Loxley) -- either manually or by using some type of machine.
Such machines can be costly, according to Linder.
PUBLIC'S OPINION SOUGHT
The committee decided to seek public input about how the community would like the service to work and to meet again in a month's time.
Each committee member was encouraged to come back with a list of suggestions to discuss.
Sending out questionnaires by mail and starting an education campaign, particularly in schools, was also discussed.
Civilian Committee Members are:
Nancy Anderson
Pete Bremer
Bart Cox
Stephen Delahunty
Gary Gover
Synthia Kaiser
Jeanine Normand
Don Prosch
Mark Stejskal
Councilmen Ford and Mueller are liaisons.
Comments
It is a small town and there are not that many in the population. Analyze why city didn't research trucks more before multiple purchases. I know I am in the minority, but I would prefer twice a week recycle pickup and once a week garbage pickup. With recycling, I just do not have much actual garbage.
Absolutely disgusting.
Here's how you solve problems like this. Make it mandatory to recycle (just like the big cities do) and levy fines to those people who put newspapers and aluminum cans in their trash.
For the record, I do recycle...
http://www.accessfayetteville.org/government/solid_waste/
They won't take it to the end of their drive way but they'll drive it to a drop off point?
Did you eat a bowl of stupid for breakfast?
People have more time for it on weekends.
politician. should not be n charge of anything.
semper fi !