from the London Sentinel-Echo:
Mayor backs curbside recycling
By Tara Kaprowy
Staff Writer
Published: April 22, 2008 06:54 pm
Mayor Troy Rudder told London Downtown members about his plans for the future of recycling in London — and they’re big.
“If we’re going green, we’re going all the way,” he said.
If Rudder has his way, curbside recycling in London will be a reality in two to three years’ time. He also wants to see the amount of garbage going into the landfill reduced by 75 percent in the coming years. In the first year, he wants to cut the amount down by 25 percent.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he said. “All towns need to be looking at this right now because that’s the future.”
For Rudder, recycling boils down to a question of economics.
Right now, the city dumps 150 tons per day at a cost of $22.50 per ton.
“We spend about $522,000 a year to dispose of just dumping garbage at the landfill,” Rudder said. “Every pound we can keep from the landfill saves us money and, in turn, saves the households and businesses in town.”
Moreover, Rudder expects the cost to dump in the landfill to rise exponentially.
“We known in four years what is going to happen to our dumping fees,” he said. “It’s going to skyrocket.”
“We can look at doubling our tipping fees,” he added, estimating that that in four years, the price to dump at the landfill will likely jump to $40 or $42.
To make the recycling goals a reality, the city and county have applied for a $310,000 grant to expand the program. In the grant application, the city proposed taking over the program.
London Public Works Director Steve Edge, who is to be in charge of the program, said he is “80 to 90 percent” sure the grant will be awarded to the area. Even if it isn’t, plans are still moving forward.
“We’re getting the facilities ready to implement it,” Edge said. “It will be another 60 to 75 days.”
Edge said the city plans to recycle “everything from e-waste down,” meaning electronics will be recycled, along with paper, plastic, cans, cardboard and all types of paper.
Edge said the grant will be used to buy recycling equipment — a compacter, can densifier, glass pulverizer, shredder — that would make the program less labor intensive.
Laurel County has had a recycling program since 2001. Though it was considered to be one of the most progressive centers in southeastern Kentucky, lay-offs made in July 2007 ground the program to a halt.
Laurel County Solid Waste Coordinator Jim Ed McDaniel said the county no longer has the manpower to distribute the recycling bins to various locations in the county, and is having trouble keeping up with the products dropped off at the McWhorter Street center.
“It will be a godsend for us,” McDaniel said of the city taking over the program. “Me and my other two employees will go back to our solid waste part. We’ll be able to pick up the appliances as they come in and do the road litter pickup.”
To encourage Londoners to recycle, Edge said the city plans to charge residents who recycle less for garbage pickup than those who don’t.
“For example, we would charge them a rate of $10 if they do recycle and $15 if you don’t,” Edge explained. “We’re going to let you save yourself money.”
Neither Rudder nor Edge anticipate the recycling center will actually make the city money.
“We’re hoping it can break even,” Rudder said.
“We’ve got to make it pay for itself,” Edge added.
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