Pinellas County recycling debate continues

ST. PETERSBURG-- City Council member Karl Nurse's compromise on recycling was enough to get Mayor Rick Baker to finally embrace some form of curbside collection.

But, a month later, it's unclear that the county is willing to water down its proposal to bring weekly curbside collection to every household in the county.

County Commission Chairman Bob Stewart sure doesn't seem ready to change his plans. Continue reading to check out Stewart's response to Nurse.

Dear Councilman Nurse:

Thank you for your September 19, 2008 correspondence related to the County’s proposed Curbside Recycling Program. As you know, I am a strong advocate of increased recycling in Pinellas County.  Regarding the four points addressed in your correspondence related to the City of St. Petersburg:

1. The City could implement a curbside yard waste pickup program.
2. The City could lower fees and increase marketing of mulch delivery to homeowners.
3. The City could implement a monthly curbside recycling program to pick up newspapers, glass, plastic and aluminum.
4. The City could allow more customers to choose once a week pickup during the second pickup of the week.

On March 22, 2007 the Board of County Commissioners supported the concepts presented by staff for Beach Recycling, Litter Control, and County-wide Curbside Recycling. At our August 28, 2008 Work Session staff presented the County-wide Curbside Recycling element of their plan.

Items one and two above are distinct and separate from traditional curbside recycling programs. Staff’s presentation and subsequent Board approval on August 28, 2008 related specifically to recycling items that can be placed in a container. All of the statistical data related to pounds per household for the typical curbside recycling items, such as newspapers, glass, plastic and aluminum.

With regard to item three, I have forwarded your suggestion to the Director of Utilities for his consideration. Weekly pickups are an industry standard for several reasons. Residents generally do not desire to stockpile their recyclables for an entire month waiting for pickup and as a result, participation and recovery rates tend to be significantly lower. 

Item four above is a procedural decision that the County does not influence.

Thanks for thinking out-of-the box!

Sincerely,

Robert B. Stewart
Chairman
Pinellas County Commission

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Comments

[Luke]

if they want more recycling, passing new guidlines on mom&pop recycling corporations WASNT THE BEST OF IDEA's. Your shutting down your common recycling corps that make it CONVIENENT to recycle with run-around procedures needed "to cut down on stealing" What a crock of shat, the rich getting richer, the county is slowly forcing everyone to the recycling Mills so the state then in return recieve cut backs from the only large recylcle companies that will be left.

There are other options.

http://www.vote4norm.com/New%20Pages/ToyTown.htm

LOL. The other options arent very good.

Maybe next time norm

[Richard J.]

I think it's a hell of an option. Well done Mr. Roche.

[Ron Lincoln]

Before developing policy for Pinellas county, Mr. Roche should focus on winning a single precinct.

Who will he run against in 2010? Morroni, Latvala, or Welch?

[Kevin!]

Hi AJ!

Nurse made a good attempt, but it is Mayor Baker that is to be blamed for lack of recycling in St. Petersburg, not Bob.

Baker denies the fact that ice bergs are melting, choosing instead to rely on his belief that every thing will unfold as planned.

[Tim]

I will not do it and I know our area will not do it. Many of us do not have the time or care to give it. They all ready do it at the cinterater. Whey do we have to do it for them. Just another way to get money out of us. It comes down to money.Everyone wants my paycheck. The Rays all the governments. Tell you what, I will give you may paycheck and you pay all my bills and put food in the house and pay dr bills what ever comes. You want socialism fine.

Tim, It's no bother really. In Seminole you get a bin and you can choose to use it or not. Paper, plastic and alum. cans. All in the same bin...or not.

Nobody looks through your bags or cans to see if you "mixed up" your trash.

Use the bin or don't it's your choice.

A couple times a year you can put out paint cans, furniture, refrigerators, what ever you want.

Or...you can load it up and get paid to recycle it.

It's about options. Baby steps.

The only thing we've socialized is big business CEO perks. You think I wanna pay someone else's jumbo mortgage?

[Everett]

He is correct in his response to point 3. I stockpile to save gas but don't have space to keep more than 3 weeks worth.

I think point 1 is moot. Most people with yard waste remove it that day to the yard waste site. They don't want it sitting in their yard for a day let alone a month. A large pile of branches will kill the grass beneath if left a month!

[True Blue]

Karl, You can't compromise with EVIL. When will you learn this???? Or are your brain cells dead from smoking all that wacky weed???

[Adam]

I'll start this by saying "I may be wrong" but when I was first setting up my recycling company I was talking to the EPA and was told that local goverments couldn't over ride the federal protection in place for recycling efforts. But at the same time theft of recyclables has been climbing so some well placed rules would be nice, I know I don't want to set up a program and then get my materials lifted.