Centerville pushes for mandatory recycling

CENTERVILLE — The question of whether to bring a citywide curbside recycling program isn't really "if" anymore. The question left is "how."

For the past three years, at least, city officials have been talking about bringing recycling to Centerville.

Last week the City Council unanimously decided to direct staff members to begin negotiations with ACE Disposal, the city's current waste-service provider, to create an opt-out program for residents.

Basically, an opt-out program would include all residents, but would allow some residents to forgo the $3-per-month fee if they have a financial hardship. But details need to be worked out between the city and ACE, officials said.

An opt-out program would be unique for ACE, said sales manager Richard Hamik.

During a public hearing Oct. 7, residents spoke 5-to-1 in favor of a recycling program. Two residents who opposed a recycling program, Kevin Rawlings and Phil Sessions, said they don't need another fee from the city.

"I'm three-dollared out," Sessions said. "The word mandatory turns me inside out."

Rawlings said the city bills seem to have climbed over the past 10 years and are already a burden.

That's about the way comments have been flowing into Mayor Ron Russell's e-mail inbox. Most who comment are in favor of recycling, say it's better for the environment and are disappointed that Bountiful no longer has a recycling drop-off location.

Those who are opposed tend to think recycling is a good thing, but they don't want the city to make them do it, Russell said.

But mandatory programs seem to be the way to get the most bang for the city's buck.

Nathan Rich, executive director of the Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District, which serves nearly all of Davis County and Morgan County, said mandatory programs are successful. "It's all about volume," he said.

A mandatory curbside program can divert as much as 20 percent of the waste that goes into a landfill, extending the landfill's life, he added.

The Layton landfill has about 14 years of life left, Rich said.

Optional programs cost residents more money and are often unsuccessful, Hamik says. He cited West Valley City's program, which was optional before March and only 600 homes out of 27,000 opted to recycle.