
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 22, 1992                   TAG: 9203200051
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HATS OFF TO REWARDS FOR WASTE REDUCTION

I want to commend the town of Blacksburg staff for its proposal on weight-based waste disposal. This would not only encourage reduction and recycling of solid waste, but would reinforce such behavior through the reward of more money!

It is clear that solid-waste disposal costs are going to continue to rise. It is also clear that alternatives to landfills, such as incinerators, are equally expensive and far too dangerous to public health. Reduction of waste is the only long-term solution. Proposals such as this to reward people for reducing waste are precisely what we should see from progressive local government.

It is unfortunate that the initial public outcry has been so negative, and it is also unfortunate that the Town Council has delayed implementation. However, it is more important for the program to succeed, and if the council feels it will take an extra year for public education, then that is a wiser decision than letting the whole plan fail for lack of understanding.

I encourage the council to proceed with a pilot program and would be proud if my neighborhood was chosen. Some minor adjustments may be needed; however, this should not be a major impediment to the concept itself.

An important part of this campaign will be educating the public about reducing solid waste. Consumer should seek products that limit packaging and we should reuse what we can. Disposable products are terribly wasteful. In addition, always look for glass returnable containers, or aluminum as second best. This is hard in this town, but hopefully, as more consumers ask for sensible packaging, our market economy will provide it.

Finally, this nation needs a nationwide waste management plan encouraging reduction, reuse and recycling to reduce solid waste before it ends up as landfill (or worse, as toxic emissions from an incinerator.) There are several bills in Congress that would do just that. For information, contact the Sierra Club.

Once again, hats off to Ron Secrist and his staff for their ideas.\ Paul M. Hendricks\ Conservation chairman\ New River Group, Sierra Club

by CNB