Questionable future for recycling

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October 22, 2009

BY JENNIFER BAILEY The Commercial-News Thu Oct 22, 2009, 08:47 PM CDT

DANVILLE — No big decisions were made at Thursday night’s Vermilion County Mayor’s Council meeting regarding continuing recycling in the county.

Danville is proceeding with its recycling survey and exploring the possibility of curbside recycling.

Other communities, such as Oakwood and Sidell, are looking into what it would cost each resident, such as a $2 increase on a water bill, to continue the program.

But Home Rule allowances, referendums, a county surcharge and adding a recycling fee to county real estate taxes were all brought up as issues to look at, in addition to polling residents in each community.

The biggest concern was if residents pay for recycling, what’s to stop “outsiders” from dumping their recycling in a bin too?

Basically, if residents want recycling to continue they will have to pay for it.

Vermilion County Recycling Coordinator Lynn Wolgamot and ABC Sanitary owner/operator Stephen Smith were on hand at the meeting at Vermilion Advantage.

Recycling is a hot topic right now as the county suspends its recycling program Oct. 30 due to a downfall in the revenue needed to cover the costs.

Wolgamot explained the county has been spending about $30,000 a month with the seven county drop-off sites, with landfill fees and revenue only covering about $23,000 of the cost. Reserves have now been depleted, she said.

She explained that the $1.27 per ton landfill surcharge helps pay for the recycling program and solid waste enforce-ment/complaints at the landfill.

Recycling funding through the years also has gone toward aerial mapping, salaries for Wolgamot and two landfill inspectors and has helped with environmental health inspector salaries, Wolgamot said.

The funding also has paid for computer and oil/paint recycling collections.

“From 1996 to the present, (the recycling program) has been provided for those who want to recycle,” Wolgamot said.

But starting in January 2008, recycling increased causing the pick-up costs to increase; and by October 2008 the recession slowed down garbage being sent to the landfill.

With less money to spend, residents are buying less and have less garbage. Therefore, the landfill surcharge is now only bringing in about $165,000 to $170,000 a year instead of being as high as $300,000, according to Wolgamot.

Revenues used for the recycling program also have gone down from state funds, such as from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and other areas to balance the state budget; there is more “exempt waste” from the surcharge; and a disposal company that took over the Georgetown route takes garbage to the Clinton landfill, Wolgamot said.

The surcharge that the county will continue to receive will go to the solid waste enforcement budget, Wolgamot said.

She also will reduce her work week to four days a week.

“I don’t have a solution,” she told the city and village mayors and representatives.

Wolgamot said it’s up to each community’s officials to check with their constituents to see what they want to continue for future generations.

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