 he Natural Resources and Culture Committee
of the San Diego City Council accepted the recommendations set forward by
a City Manager-appointed committee last month to expand curbside recycling
citywide over the next three years. The City's Environmental Services Department,
which currently offers a pilot curbside recycling service to approximately
one-third of the city's single family residences will come back to the full
City Council early next year with a complete implementation time line and
plan.
 The City Manager's Committee on
Curbside Recycling, appointed by former City Manager Jack McGrory to address
the city's residential recycling program, recommended that recycling be
offered citywide to all single-family residents. on a biweekly basis at
no charge. The program would be paid for through the revenue generated from
the sale of the recyclables, continuation of the pilot program funding,
and City General Fund money saved through reduced trash collection (due
to increased recycling). The proposed program would also replace the three,
colored recycling bins currently used in favor of a single container automated
system (similar to the city's automated trash collection) to improve cost
efficiency and safety.
A number of interested citizens
and business people attended the City Council meeting to express their support
for the proposed expanded curbside recycling.
After the meeting, Tom Behr, Chair
of the Curbside Recycling Committee, said, "We're extremely pleased.
The Manager's Committee came up with reasonable recommendations that the
City Council Committee could adopt in total. We're looking forward to the
implementation."
Carolyn Chase, a member of the nine-person
Committee, said, "I'm very excited that we're finally moving forward
with this after so many years.'
According to Environmental Services
Department Director Richard Hays, the proposed program, "signals a
change in the way we are doing business." The automated recycling system,
which utilizes a single container of mixed recyclables with a lid, "uses
fewer trucks, is faster and more efficient, and reduces scavenging of recyclables.
We will be calling on all residents to help make this program economically
feasible by participating in recycling."
The Environmental Services Department
will return to City Council for approval on specific plans to begin the
expansion of curbside recycling in the fall of 1998, after new equipment
and trucks are available. Expansion of curbside recycling is considered
an important element to reach the State of California's mandate to reduce
waste by 50 percent by the year 2000, or face fines of up to $10,000 per
day.  | 
