Re: Recycling

["John and Laurie Danahy" <JDANAHY@turbonet.com>]

Thank you for posting the information regarding curbside recycling in Moscow.  I have been supportive of recycling in the past and will continue to be supportive in the future.  I recognize recycling as a very necessary function of the city and it's citizens.

A few questions regarding the curbside program.

 

What kind of survey was done to see what level of participation would occur before the program was put in place?  Ws the survey of a few households or city wide? 

IS the $2.11 the city is paying per household paid per year? Month? week?  Does this $2.11 represent an increase in the amount the city pays over what it was paying before curbside recycling?  If so, where is the city getting the funds? Is some other project not being funded so we can have curbside recycling?  How will the city know the number of households participating or is the fee paid based on the total number of households in Moscow?  Does households include apartment complexes and if so how do such residents participate in curbside recycling?

 

Curbside recycling is sure to be convenient for some residents, but not everyone.  It may result in more recycling being done, but I doubt the increase will be in any way significant.  People who will recycle using curbside service already recycle.  People who do not recycle will not start, unless there is some substantial economic reason to do so.

I do  not mind subsidizing recycling, it is probably needed in order to provide the service.  But I do not see a reason to subsidize waste collection of those who do not recycle, and I fear that the $2.11 fee is, in fact, indirectly subsidizing those residents who do not recycle.

 

John

John and Laurie Danahy
jdanahy@turbonet.com