More Recycling
Aug 11There has been a lot of talk lately about adding more recycling to Tulsa area residential customers. There have been plenty of public hearings and a few stories in the local news. These stories have me excited and optimistic about the proposed changes, but also worried about how some people seemed opposed to any change. The city is looking for someone to build a processing facility large enough to handle the estimated 40,000 tons per year that would probably be collected. The vendor needs a large warehouse with a high ceiling and the right player would invest in new sorting equipment that could take totally mixed recyclables and make them into clean feed stocks.
If the city is able to attract that private industry investment, then we can take the next step of offering every home a large polycart for recycling. The residents wouldn’t see any change to the trash collection and wouldn’t be forced to recycle and I think if offered a simple way to recycle and a modest education effort to explain why, most Tulsans will give it a try. I also think that this will make the trash hauler’s job easier, hopefully by having citizens put out 25% less trash.
There will probably be a small charge, but that is nothing new. Right now, Tulsa residents pay approximately $1.70 every time the trash truck stops and picks up trash on their street. The going rate for curbside pickup of recyclables is less; only a dollar per service day. What may be new is that all citizens will be asked to pay. I am sure that some will complain and say this small charge is too much and demand that we waste it all, but I hope that most people will embrace this easy recycling system willingly.
What will this do to the M.e.t., especially the recycling depot located in west Tulsa? Probably not much will change. The new service won’t be available to many of our customers who live in apartments or recycle from their business. It might take off some of the pressure of being so busy that it will allow us to expand the list of items that we take, including steel cans, cardboard and possibly e-waste. Whatever happens, we at the M.e.t. hope it helps to make more Tulsans recycle. We have never cared how or where you recycle, just that you do recycle.
