A council committee approved a resolution urging the county to give residents a monetary incentive to recycle. A council committee approved a resolution urging the county to give residents a monetary incentive to recycle. ADVERTISING The nonbinding resolution, introduced by
A council committee approved a resolution urging the county to give residents a monetary incentive to recycle.
The nonbinding resolution, introduced by Council Chairman, Dominic Yagong, urges the Kenoi administration to develop and implement a three-year pilot diversion grant program by July 1. It also calls on the Department of Environmental Management to study the existing two-bin system for collecting materials at the county transfer stations during the pilot program.
Environmental Management Acting Director Dora Beck acknowledged that Yagong is giving a “very, very tight timeframe,” but that the department is neutral on the passage of the resolution.
“I’m convinced we haven’t done nearly enough in moving our diversion rate forward,” Councilman Pete Hoffmann said, explaining his support for the resolution.
Councilman Dennis Onishi said he would have preferred a system similar to the Hi-5 can and bottle redemption program, in which consumers are charged a fee at the purchase point that can be redeemed. That way, the cost of the county’s pilot program could be offset.
The program was opposed by representatives of Mr. K’s Recycle and Redemption Center on the grounds that it could cost them money.
The resolution, approved 8-0 with Councilman Fred Blas absent, to the full council in two weeks with a positive recommendation.
