Recycling in Eagle Mtn.

I preface this post by saying that I'm not "green" freak nor do I care for the argument on global warming.

With that said, it's time for the Eagle Mountain City Council to step up and take the same initiative as American Fork has on recycling.

"The (American Fork) city council voted to begin an opt-out recycling program, in which all residents would be assumed to want recycling, and will be added to the service and charged for it, unless they contact the city to opt out. The program is expected to allow for greater participation in the city's recycling program by capturing households that are not opposed to recycling but have never found the time or motivation to sign up.

Other cities, Eagle Mountain most prominently, have also been considering moving to the opt-out method as a way of increasing participation in recycling. The more residents who participate, the cheaper the service generally is." -Daily Herald

I know this has been discussed several times in Eagle Mountain City Council meetings but take not from what Heber Thompson, Mayor of American Fork had to say about why they decided to make the right decision on the issue.

"We have debated this off and on, and we seem to always find some way to delay it again," the mayor said. "I think we have got to do something. It is time for us to take action." -Daily Herald.

I don't think recycling should be mandatory, but rather and opt-out approach.

Eagle Mtn. City Council Rejects Recycling Offers

"Speaking to the Daily Herald, city spokeswoman Linda Peterson said the city had received one bid from Waste Management saying the company would like to provide recycling service but would be unable to provide a price per household in their bid right now because of national economic turmoil. They asked the city to wait to choose a recycling company until Waste Management could provide a bid, but did not show how long that would take.

Allied Waste also submitted a bid, but it provided cost estimates only for a citywide mandatory program, and Council members have said they are loath to force residents to pay for recycling service, Peterson said.

Instead, the city has asked Allied to provide pricing for an opt-out program, in which all residents would be signed up for recycling service unless they tell the city they don't want it.

If 90 percent of residents or more keep the service, participating households would be charged $4.49, Peterson said. That price increases to $4.62 if only 80 to 89 percent keep the service, $5.08 if 60 to 79 percent recycle, and finally to $5.69 per household if fewer than 60 percent of residents recycle.

Council members are expected to debate these rates and an opt-out recycling program at their Dec. 2 meeting. If enacted, pickup would be every other week."-Daily Herald