Recycling Doing Well

It looks like someone's trying to put a positive spin on the forced recycling that's been implemented in Arcata and Eureka. I'm referring to the story that appeared in Sunday's Times- Standard. Don't know if that's writer Donna Tam's spin to it or just the lines she's been given by the sources she's dealing with.

I guess I must of missed something, though. I knew it looked like the Arcata City Council was bound and determined to institute mandatory recycling as Eureka did. I must have missed that they actually did it. And this after what appeared to be some fairly strong opposition from the community, at least from accounts I've read in the papers.

As far as being successful, no doubt they'll get more recyclables with a mandatory program, but at what cost? Tam's sources don't mention that, except that rates are expected to go up by next summer.

As far as all the bins being put out for collection- mentioned as a sign of success- I wonder how much of that is being done and, if it is being done, done the way they wanted?

I'll have to admit to peeking into recycling bins around Eureka on collection day. Many of them aren't anywhere near full when they're put out for collection. City Garbage suggested people wait until bins are full before placing out for collection. Some do and some don't. I guess that's no big deal.

I've noticed that on streets where collection takes place in alleys, most of the bins just sit in the same spot all week long. I've looked in some of those and many are empty and some look like they've always been empty. I wonder if the trucks just come by and dump the empty bins thinking they're full?

As for our house, we put our bin out about every 3 weeks. That's how long it takes to fill the paper section of the bin. We could go twice that long before the plastic and glass section gets full. Yes, it is more convenient for us, but we didn't need it forced upon us. Now we have another bill we have to pay, no matter what. I expect that bill to go up.

From the tone of that Times- Standard story, I think we'll be seeing them trying to force it on yet more cities and the entire county and you can bet rates will rise steadily, too. I still say this is something the State Attorney General should look into. Somebody's making a bunch of money on this and it isn't just the garbage companies.