Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 13, 1995 TAG: 9501130115
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JULIE S. RUTHERFORD SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
By early spring, city officials hope to distribute roll-out carts and 18-gallon bins so that 7,000 more households will be able to recycle glass bottles, metal cans, newspapers and plastic jugs through a curbside collection program that now serves 16,000 homes.
Officials had hoped to have the program expanded by Jan.1. But delivery of a specialized $80,000 recycling truck that originally was promised for early November has been delayed, said Laura Wasko, city recycling coordinator.
``The manufacturer said it would be ready the end of January,'' Wasko said. Even after the truck arrives, it will be early March before painting and maintenance checks are complete and the truck is put on the road.
Wasko said the curbside program will be expanded in all of the city's four quadrants. The goal is to include a cross-section of low-, middle- and upper-income houses and duplexes that are close to existing recycling routes.
Areas under consideration include: parts of upper Northwest Roanoke, Williamson Road, Wildwood, sections of Southeast Roanoke, Hollins Road, Grandin Court, South Roanoke, Wasena, Old Southwest, Greater Deyerle and Raleigh Court. The routes will be designated by early next month, Wasko said.
Efficiency and costs are top concerns of Roanoke's recycling center and city officials. A briefing given Monday to City Council showed that since July, recycling costs have dropped from $8.34 per ton to $2.15.
The number of recycling skeptics also has declined.
Councilman John Parrott, who previously expressed concern over the expense of recycling, called the curbside expansion project ``economically feasible.'' Disposal costs at landfills are climbing, and recyclables are bringing in higher prices.
The demand for recycled materials is on the rise and is expected to keep growing as laws requiring their use in items like plastic 2-liter bottles take effect. Parrott also emphasized the importance of individual effort in recycling.
He described it as a ``spirit people get into'' that has a snowball effect, causing more and more people not only to recycle, but also to buy products made from recycled paper, plastic, aluminum and glass.
As more residents become involved in the recycling process, costs are expected to continue to fall and programs to expand.
by CNB