[EQAB-list] Proposed Recycling Changes

[Ellen Smith]

On Sat, 2008-08-09 at 21:40 -0400, Fred L Stephens wrote:
> I understand that what they propose is a coupon based plan. This is 
> clear. And I respect their experience. From a personal perspective, I 
> would prefer a $1 refund on my bill over $10 worth of coupons. This 
> is not a show stopper. If RecycleBank can get folks to recycle with 
> coupons, then they have my support.

I think everybody would prefer refunds over coupons, although not
everyone would prefer a $1 refund over $10 worth of coupons.
Unfortunately, though, the RecycleBank business model does not seem to
generate much in the way of cash...

Meanwhile, I've been thinking about the new containers. One thing I have
wondered about is "what are the dimensions of a 65-gallon container?" I
simultaneously wonder about whether some people are going to find them
"too big" to fit in their households and whether they might not be big
enough to hold all the recyclables that some households generate
(thinking, for example, of my neighbors with the 5 kids). In case anyone
else shares my curiosity, I found a website at
http://www.trashcansandmore.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-9W21-RMC1089.html
that advertises 65-gal Rubbermaid wheeled trash bins for the astonishing
price of $295. That site lists the dimensions as 41.8" H x 25.2" W x
32.3" D. Other websites show similar products -- but possibly less
durable -- for much lower prices (for example,
http://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=H-1578 gives a price of
$164 each for purchases of 3 or more, and
http://www.instawares.com/akro-65-gallon-mega-kart-79565.ak1-79565.0.7.htm  has a similar cart for less than $93).

Our current recycle bin is about 22" W x 15" D, so the new bin would
have a footprint slightly larger than 2 of our current recycle bins (and
of course it wouldn't fit under a table or counter). One might suggest
that it would replace the various plastic wastebaskets that we have
scattered around the house to collect recyclables, but I think we would
still want two sets of wastebaskets (one set for trash and one for
recyclables).

Another thought I had on the containers is that not everybody in Oak
Ridge who  receives trash collection services has a driveway or sidewalk
to roll a container on. I personally love the idea of a large rolling
container with a lid, but I'm thinking that folks in the Garden
Apartments (aka Rolling Hills Apartments, for you newcomers) aren't
going to be thrilled about carrying a large wheeled container up and
down one or two flights of stairs, and people in older neighborhoods who
walk up or down steps to get to the street are going to have similar
difficulties. I can imagine that some people would want to leave their
new containers at curbside all week and use a smaller container to
deliver recyclables to the containers. From a standpoint of aesthetics,
that's not a pleasant prospect... Does anyone have any bright ideas for
a creative solution to provision of containers for non-disabled
households that can't roll a container to the curb?

-- Ellen Smith