[greenyes] Why has curbside tonnage fallen when participation rates remain the same?

["Blair Pollock" <bpollock@no.address>]

Hello:

Comparing our urben curbside program performance in July & August 2004
w/ that in 2003, we learn that tonnage (according to our contractor) 
has declined 9.4% while participation (according to our contractor's
'clicks' on bin pickups) remained the same.  We are searching for the
answer. It seems that newspapers that were downsizing their sheet size
did so more than a year ago and that's significant in that news & mags
are 70% of curbside weight. Wondering if anyone else has seen a similiar
trend in weight decline. I don't know if more containers have been light
weighted, if there's been a significant further shift during 2004 from
glass containers to plastic? thoughts?

My weigh-in on the NYC thing: With the exception of Steve Hammer's
point, I am glad NYC has done something positive here, though it seems
far from ideal. Overall recycling forces should take it as a significant
victory, noting that strong public opinion and good inside politicking
will sometimes prevail. Non illegitamus carborundum.

If everyone in Orange County recycled two more aluminum cans a week
we would recycle over twelve million more cans a
year.__________________________________________________

Blair Pollock
Solid Waste Planner
(919) 968-2788
fax: (919) 932-2900
PO Box 17177
Chapel Hill, NC 27516-7177