January 21st, 2008
Local and state lawmakers put teeth into their recycling programs as soon as they were in place and then added carrot-and-stick policies to hold residents on the right path.
It began with the state of California. The legislature told municipalities that they had to divert 50 percent of their waste from landfill or face sanctions.
Cities kicked into gear with programs to inform residents how to recycle and offered incentives for recycling. In Dublin, residents who could squeeze their trash into smaller garbage containers were charged less for garbage pickup. The clear message: Reduce your trash! But send your recyclables.
Residents also can be ticketed – with a reminder notice – if they stick something in the recyclables that’s not recyclable.
And those who want more reward for recycling, can get a small return fee on certain plastics by bringing them to county drop-off depots, Bradley says.
