Changes to city recycling program include pickup every two weeks
By Brian Meyer
NEWS STAFF REPORTER
Published:
November 4, 2010, 12:00 AM
Get ready for an extreme makeover of Buffalo’s recycling program.
The Common Council voted, 7-1, Wednesday to approve a five-year contract that includes major changes in recycling practices.
Next spring, the city will distribute new 65-gallon totes to every property. The larger containers will replace those tiny blue bins that property owners have used since the program was implemented citywide in 1990.
The city also will reduce recycling pickups to every two weeks. Currently, recyclables are picked up every week.
Another big change will involve Buffalo’s move to “single-stream†recycling, which will allow people to toss more types of items into their new totes. Crews will not have to perform curbside separation chores.
The new plan is built into a contract that lawmakers approved at Wednesday’s meeting. Allied Waste Services, the city’s current recycling vendor, submitted the lowest of three bids. The city will pay Allied $1.2 million and will absorb the costs of buying new totes.
Crews will begin distributing the totes in April or May, so the conversion will not take place during snowy weather, Public Works Commissioner Steven J. Stepniak said.
Even some Council members who back the changes acknowledged that the city faces challenges. Majority Leader Richard A. Fontana said it will be tough for some people to remember which weeks they are supposed to recycle.
“You have one person on the street who puts it out [the wrong week], then you’ll have a whole street put it out because they saw someone’s tote out,†Fontana said.
He thinks the city should distribute calendars that would stick to the top of people’s totes. Stepniak said a number of strategies will be used to make sure people understand the changes, including an aggressive public education campaign.
“It’s worked in other communities, and I think our residents are just as sharp as other communities,†Stepniak said after the meeting. “We can make this work.â€
Some lawmakers worry that homeowners who have small lots won’t have enough space to accommodate two totes. Properties already have one city-owned trash container.
Will crews continue to pick up recyclables that are placed in the little blue bins? Stepniak said problems will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Voting against the contract was South Council Member Michael
P. Kearns, who said there are too many unanswered questions. Kearns wanted the city to consider taking back operation of the recycling program, which was privatized in 2003. Stepniak said such a move would not be cost-efficient.
In other Council action, lawmakers unanimously adopted a resolution that encourages waterfront planners to consider building a state-of-the-art Great Lakes-themed aquarium on the Memorial Auditorium site. Advocates believe the attraction would be a catalyst for attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and new businesses to the inner harbor.
bmeyer@buffnews.com
Libertad's Journal
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11/04/2010 10:37 #53054
Recycling changes11/02/2010 17:12 #53051
Antoine Thompson is harassing meIt's kind of ironic that my vote mattered so much in this election and that it may tip the balance of the senate to republican. I voted for Grisanti because Antoine makes me sick. Abuse of power is a disgusting display of inadequacy. Let's hope we are saying goodbye to Antoine! Listen up politicians, if you go against the voters, they will respond.
They said on the radio today it could be several weeks before they finish the tally.
It looks like the dumb ass harasser lost :::link:::
Grand Island is what did him in after all! The absentee ballots are most likely from the people that are down in FLA or away on business so they vote Republican.
He's not in my district, but I hope he loses just for putting a Stupid Traffic Circle right off the I-190 in Grand Island.
I don't know any of his politics but (can't say if he did it or not) but isn't he in and FBI probe about Casino gaming or something and I think there might be some other scandel is he the guy with the book thing.......
In Terms of the not calling back thing that is a pain. Maybe the person who called you didn't record the not calling back or it got lost in there some where not sure. It is weird though that they would call you back after you told them not to. Maybe the guy is a bill collector on the side so he doesn't take no for an answer... On a more serious side I wonder if and how you report that to the board of ellections.....?????
10/27/2010 22:04 #53018
Cuteness for a super stressful day10/24/2010 12:53 #53010
Gasland documentary for e:heidi‘Gasland’ documentary sheds light on hydraulic fracturing
Published:
October 24, 2010, 12:00 AM
Updated: October 24, 2010, 6:47 AM
A free showing of the documentary “Gasland†and a discussion with filmmaker Josh Fox will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday in Buffalo State College’s Bulger Communications Center.
The documentary about the natural gas drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing—which is causing controversy in Collins and other parts of Western New York—was awarded a special jury prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
The presentation is sponsored by the college’s Communications Department, Students for Peace and State Sen. Antoine M. Thompson, D-Buffalo.
Awkward time/date:
Sat., Oct. 30, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. Buffalo State College, Bulger Communication Center, FREE.
:::link:::
Thanks for posting this, (e:libertad). I haven't seen it yet and would be very interested in seeing Josh Fox, although I've read the research and stories that it's based on. I'm honestly not sure I can handle more graphic pictures than what I've already seen in real life, or illustrations to accompany all the horror stories I've read.
I haven't seen any of the natural gas-related movies: Split Estate and All Fracked Up are anti-drilling, Gas Odyssey is pro-drilling, Haynesville is somewhere in between, trying to balance a lot of different perspectives. I don't watch a lot of movies, and rarely watch documentaries.
I hope folks will take advantage of this opportunity - if we want to go as a group, I'm in.
Which saturday?
10/21/2010 14:42 #52990
Robo calls for lost petsThey charge A LOT of money and I kind of doubt that they really work. I'm sure a lot of people who pay for this really can't afford it in the first place. Check out their pricing plan which ranges from $85 for 250 calls to $850 for 10,000 calls.
Sorry about your lost kitty, but I think you should stick with signs and advertisements in the paper or craigslist.
Maybe the next time Basra runs off you can robo call the neighborhood (e:PMT)?
HA! Ironically Kearns introduced a resolution looking into single-stream recycling. This is hilarious.
I could chime in on the privatized v. public issue, but with Buffalo so many of her city-run programs are run by appointees who are completely incompetent. Stepniak is one of the few good commissioners the mayor has appointed but at this point I would say the city is better off giving money away to private companies who know what they are doing than being mismanaged by idiots who are appointed.
At least with private companies their contract comes up for renewal. We got rid of American Anglican Water after years of fuck ups but it takes elections to get rid of people that are in charge of hundreds of thousands of dollars. And in this town elections don't change as much as they should so...
Keeping the recycling privatized at this point seems like the only option. We don't have money to be idealists with everything. It is great to go to twice a week pick up because all of those trucks driving around picking up recycles is kind of counterproductive.
I also thought about whether they would allow the old recycling bins to be recycled. My guess is that they will allow it under new recycling rules. Maybe my building will start recycling now since there will be new totes.
Being able to recycle more items is a blessing. The wee blue bin in the corner of our kitchen pantry gets full enough, so i am glad for bigger totes.
I like the idea of using the bigger 65 gallon totes. I hope they have lids. That should help with the litter problem around the city.
Just read this - thanks for the email. :-) I don't know whether I should be excited or not... It's 1.2 million given out by politicians to a private party. The political cynic in me wonders if this will be just about distributing those shiny new totes and forgeting about it or actually doing something with existing infrastructure. Those new totes will also be made of plastic. What happens to all the old ones then? Will they be recycled? New things are not always an answer to minimalistic recycling. Maybe I am being too doubting.
I'm really hoping that this will cure my worst OCD behavior. Out of sight out of mind? I think that twice a week pick up is a great idea. It is such a waste to be doing it every single week.
now you can't judge other people curbside bins! maybe it will lessen your recycling insanity!