Two weeks into curbside recycling, most of Taylor Lake Village's households have yet to get on board.
So far 40 percent of the city's households have left recycling at their curbs, but Mayor Natalie O’Neill said she expects participation to increase as residents become more educated about the program, which started Jan. 5 and has pickup on Tuesdays.
“So far, I feel great about the progress,” O’Neill said. “I wish that everybody would participate. If enough people participated and there was maybe an aftermarket maybe eventually we’d be able to get paid for recycling, but right now it’s not making enough money.”
Last month, City Council approved billing each home $25 to pay for the curbside recycling. The one-time charge will be sent out within the next month, but the city won't pursue those who fail to pay it.
For now, the city is paying the $36,000 annual expense out of its $100,000 annual contingency fund.
Residents received red bins for rinsed tin and aluminum cans, rinsed plastics Nos. 1-7, magazines, cardboard and newsprint.
About 50 residents have returned their recycling bins, mostly older residents who said they cannot carry the bin to the curb. Some who have returned the bins have also asked not to receive the $25 bill from the city, O’Neill said.
“It’s a small segment of folks,” she said.
Because of the city’s new curbside recycling program, the blue bins at G.W. Robinson Elementary School for items such as rinsed tin and aluminum cans and rinsed plastics No. 1-7 will be removed the last week of this month, but the yellow recycle bins at the school for paper will remain.
The school’s parent-teacher association receives approximately $1,000 annually for paper deposited in the bins, O’Neill said.
“We still want people to bring their paper,” she said.
If there is strong participation in the city’s curbside recycling program, City Council would consider including the expense in the 2010-11 budget. O’Neill said she had hoped that more than 50 percent of the city’s households would participate in the program.
But she said she would still like for it to be included in the city’s budget.
“I would squeeze it in if it was up to me personally,” O’Neill said.