Richland council approves curbside recycling ordinance

By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer

RICHLAND � The Richland City Council took a preliminary step toward offering a paid curbside recycling service in the city on Tuesday, but members are pessimistic final approval will come before year's end.

The council in a 5-1 vote approved an ordinance that would add yard waste collection and optional curbside recycling to its garbage collection service

But the council must vote on each ordinance twice before it becomes law, allowing an opportunity for the city to tinker with parts the council didn't like.

Councilman David Rose voted against the ordinance.

The council's hesitations mostly were about money. Several members didn't like the $5.70 monthly cost for a recycling subscription and thought the cost would deter many residents from choosing recycling.

"I'm excited that we're on the verge of actually having more convenient recycling in Richland," said Councilwoman Sandra Kent. "I'm not really excited about the rate."

The city tried a $276,000 curbside recycling pilot project in May in four neighborhoods: Canyon Run in south Richland, two in central Richland and one in north Richland.

Nearly 2,600 customers on the pilot routes were able to recycle items like paper, cardboard, some plastic, aluminum and steel cans at their curbs.

Public Works Director Pete Rogalsky said 88 percent of the participants reported using their recycling bins 75 to 100 percent of the time during the pilot, but recycling was free during the test period.

"Participation in the pilot was very enthusiastic when there was no cost," he said.

Under the proposal Rogalsky developed along with a garbage collection rate consultant, yard waste collection would be included in the $16.90 per month residents would pay for garbage pick-up. The recycling subscription would be extra.

Rogalsky said the reason for the recycling fee is that it costs the city more to handle recyclable materials than it does to handle yard waste.

Recyclables cost the city $61 per ton to handle, including $26 per ton for curbside pick-up and $35 for processing. There's currently little re-sale market for recyclables that would bring any money back to the city and offset the handling costs, he said.

By contrast, it costs a net of $24 per ton to handle yard waste, including $14 per ton for collection, $20 for processing, and an estimated $10 per ton coming back in from revenues, Rogalsky said.

It costs the city $46 per ton to just bury materials at the landfill, he said.

Council members also balked at a proposed $10 minimum charge for residents to haul items to the landfill. Richland residents currently can dump trash at the landfill for free.

Councilmen Bob Thompson and David Rose expressed their belief the landfill fee would just encourage illegal dumping in the city.

"Taking a look at human nature, in tough times people avoid costs," Thompson said. "I would expect a lessening number of people going to the landfill and paying the $10."

Rogalsky said fewer people using the landfill was one of the goals of imposing a fee, although he would hope people didn't choose to dump their trash elsewhere.

Mayor John Fox said he thought the recycling ordinance needed more work before the council adopts a final version.

"I don't think we can get passage this year," he said.

The council meets Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, then is done for the year.

Also Tuesday:

w The council gave preliminary approval to its 2010 operating budget, which maintains spending at 2009 levels.

The general fund budget increases by 5.7 percent, from $51.1 million to $54 million, but senior staff members found reductions elsewhere for a net overall budget reduction of 5.4 percent.

That brings the 2010 budget down to $239.1 million from 2009's $252.7 million.

Final adoption of the budget is scheduled for Dec. 1.

w Michelle Dupler: 582-1543; mdupler@tricity herald.com

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Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009

Richland council approves curbside recycling ordinance

By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer