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Helen
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The State of
Wisconsin has, by state law, both practices statewide, and they work well
to complement one another.
John
I
am interested in the dualism of "mandatory recycling" and "disposal bans"
which lead to the same outcome. Does anyone have experience that compares the
effectiveness of the two approaches?
Helen Spiegelman
At 08:52
AM 6/21/2007, Reindl, John wrote:
This is great news ! Wisconsin
has had mandatory recycling in place since the early 1990's and, while not
perfect, it has worked very well. Without mandatory recycling, I doubt that
we would have the economies of scale for either collection, processing, or
marketing.
Best wishes,
John Reindl
Dane
County, WI
- -----Original Message-----
- From: GreenYes@no.address [mailto:GreenYes@no.address]On Behalf Of
RicAnthony@no.address
- Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:17 AM
- To: GreenYes@no.address
- Subject: [GreenYes] Recycling to be mandatory? Compromise bill may
be voted on soon in House
- Published: Jun 19, 2007 - 11:19:49 pm EDT
- Recycling to be mandatory? Compromise bill may be voted on soon in
House
- By Drew Volturo, Delaware State News
- DOVER -- Lawmakers pushing two separate curbside residential recycling
bills have reached a compromise on legislation that would be mandatory and
charge a $3 per ton assessment on solid waste.
- The measure, a combination of two bills that had their supporters and
detractors, was being shopped around Legislative Hall Tuesday and could
find its way to the House of Representatives floor for a vote
soon.
- "We have been doing voluntary recycling for several years and can't
get much above 15 percent (participation among residents)," said Rep.
Pamela S. Maier, R-Newark, who is sponsoring the compromise
legislation.
- "I don't want folks to be afraid of the word 'mandatory,' which always
raises red flags."
- Rep. Maier originally sponsored a bill that would mandate curbside
residential recycling, while Gov. Ruth Ann Minner backed legislation
calling for voluntary recycling and setting up a $3 per ton
assessment.
- The compromise measure incorporates many of the tenets of the
Minner-backed legislation, including the assessment, which would create a
fund to help with startup costs associated with recycling programs, and
the establishment of recycling goals.
- Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control John A.
Hughes said his department could live with the mandatory recycling bill,
but he prefers the original voluntary measure because it would be more
palatable to legislators and residents.
- "We agree with getting recycling started, planting the seeds," Mr.
Hughes said.
- "We will reach the point when the majority of people see how well
recycling functions and the costs are balanced out by large-scale
participation."
- Then, Mr. Hughes said, adopting a mandatory system would be less
controversial.
- He noted that his hometown of Rehoboth Beach has implemented voluntary
curbside recycling through Delaware Solid Waste Authority and many of his
neighbors already have signed up for the program.
- Mr. Hughes said he is concerned that mandatory recycling might not
pass, and the voluntary proposal might end up on the cutting room floor as
well.
- Clean Air Council community outreach director James Black said he
would have preferred a mandatory recycling bill without the assessment,
which is estimated to cost the average household 38 cents a month.
- "Mandatory recycling is not as much of a problem as it used to be
because people realize to reach the goals we set, it has to be mandatory,"
Mr. Black said.
- "It's better to have a compromise bill now because every year we wait,
the trash in the landfills is going to pile that much higher."
- But Delaware Solid Waste Authority CEO Pasquale "Pat" Canzano said not
establishing the assessment while requiring recycling creates an unfunded
mandate, which often is difficult to meet.
- "(The bill) provides the ability for public and private entities to
apply for grants for recycling programs, which should increase the amount
of recycling," Mr. Canzano said.
- Under the legislation, a recycling fund would be established and
financed by a $3 per ton assessment on all solid waste -- excluding
recyclables -- collected and/or disposed of in Delaware.
- That money, Deputy DNREC Secretary David Small said, would be
available to private companies, municipalities and community organizations
as startup funds for recycling programs and could be used to purchase
equipment, such as a truck or recycling containers.
- Once a local government reaches a recycling rate of 30 percent, it
would not be assessed the $3 a ton surcharge.
- "At some point, around 30-40 percent recycling, towns would be saving
enough in tipping and disposal fees to cover recycling costs," Mr. Small
said.
- But how would the mandatory component of the legislation be
enforced?
- Rep. Robert J. Valihura Jr., R-Wilmington, a sponsor of the original
voluntary recycling bill and co-sponsor of the compromise measure, said
there are mechanisms in place to ensure the program's success.
- Refuse brought to a landfill already is inspected for contraband,
asbestos and other contaminants. If trash haulers start bringing in refuse
with too many recyclables, the landfills would reject the loads and could
fine the haulers, Rep. Valihura said.
- DSWA and DNREC, he said, would develop the exact process.
- The measure carries the goal of increasing Delaware's recycling from
15 percent to 30 percent recycling by 2010 and 51 percent by 2015.
- Post your opinions in the Public Issues Forum at newszap.com.
- Staff writer Drew Volturo can be reached at 741-8296 or
dvolturo@no.address.
- See what's free at AOL.com.
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