City reconsiders recycling

The City of Sundance is considering a change to its recycling program that would remove it as a mandatory service for residents. Public Works Director Mac Erickson presented this suggestion to the council last week on the basis that the number of people taking advantage of curbside recycling has dwindled.

Erickson estimated that only around 15% of people are actually putting out their recycling. In a neighborhood of 30 houses, he said, it’s not uncommon for just four households to set out their items.

Erickson suggested that the council revisit the decision to make it mandatory, or alternatively set up a recycling station at the transfer station to make it available to people who want to do it.

However, he cautioned that there is still strong justification for requiring commercial customers to recycle, “so that we have an outlet for the cardboard,” which is the biggest contributor to local recycling.

Recycling is the right thing to do, Erickson said, but it’s costing the city a lot of money to do it in the manner it’s been done until now. Mayor Paul Brooks agreed that the employee who is tasked with picking up the recycling could be redirected to keep the transfer station open for longer hours and said he is in favor of looking at other alternatives.

“I think you’re heading in the right direction,” he told Erickson as the council directed him to continue his investigations into alternative ways for Sundance to handle recycling.