Recycling questions

The Moses Lake city council is working to develop a recycling program.

It is a great idea.

Many people want to recycle. Reusing materials, such as aluminum and newspapers, is far better than mining more metal or cutting down more trees. The Columbia Basin Herald uses recycled paper and collects newsprint for recycling.

Having a cart at home to place recyclable materials for collection makes it easy. No one would have to pack it into a car, then drive it across town, just to unload the car and drive home.

It appears to be an easy decision for the council.

Lakeside Disposal Service District Manager Dave Patterson told the council one option would raise garbage rates from $10 to $15 per month and $7.50 per month for senior citizens. The program would provide each residence two 95 gallon carts.

A second option costs $11 per month and $5.50 per month for senior citizens. This option would provide each residence a 64 gallon garbage cart and a 95 gallon recycle cart.

The city must choose between increasing garbage rates 50 percent or increasing rates 10 percent while reducing the amount of garbage collected by 30 percent.

The recycle carts would be picked up every two weeks.

Since the story broke in August, a few readers have posed interesting questions. Ones we hope the city council can address before adopting a policy.

Many readers wanted to know how much money Lakeside Disposal Service would receive from selling the recyclable materials.

The Clayton-Ward Recycling Center in Kennewick and Earthworks Recycling in Spokane both pay 30 cents per pound of aluminum. They pay about 2 cents per pound for paper, newsprint and cardboard. The only material worth more than aluminum is copper, at 50 cents per pound in Kennewick.

Another concern was the reduced cost for garbage heading to the landfill.

Lakeside Disposal Service pays for every pound they deposit into the Grant County landfill. The dumping rate is currently $27.76 per ton. If a 95 gallon biweekly recycle cart is used to collect recyclable materials, as listed as the first option, it is a reduction of garbage by about 50 percent each week. This would lower the company’s cost in dumping garbage at the landfill. Option two reduces the amount of garbage heading to the land fill by 30 percent each week. 

Some readers believe the money made from selling materials and the reduction in landfill costs should offset the charge of the recycle cart. Yes, people want the service for free.

But nothing is as simple as it seems. There are transportation costs and perhaps jobs to separate the recyclable materials. They need to be paid for. We hope Lakeside Disposal Service can explain the projected cost savings at the landfill and revenue from selling the materials. It would ease the minds of many people in Moses Lake to know.

Another reoccurring question is whether people can choose not to participate. Some readers would rather not pay the extra money, others recycle on their own and a few do not have anything to recycle due to their choice of lifestyle. Some people collect and donate aluminum cans to schools and charities to help raise funds. Would people be able to refrain from taking part in the city program?

Before the city council approves the program, perhaps they can ask these questions first. We also offer the opportunity for the city, Lakeside Disposal Service and city council candidates to write guest editorials to address the concerns.

We like recycling, believe it to be a good sound practice and applaud the city for moving forward with the program. But we also agree there should be a review of the costs before forcing a mandatory garbage rate increase on the residents of Moses Lake.

— Editorial board