THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 24, 1996 TAG: 9605240020
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 32 lines
Concerning ``Virginia Beach intends to lead in recycling'' by Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf (Another View, May 9): I do believe Virginia Beach's mayor and City Council sincerely want to recycle. I think they felt pressured by SPSA's recent decision to impose fees for curbside collections. I also think their decision to terminate curbside collections was a mistake.
The mayor admits that 9,500 tons of recyclables annually are being picked up curbside and 4,500 tons are being picked up at drop-off centers. She thinks that by adding more drop-off centers, an additional 3,000 to 4,000 tons will be collected. That leaves at least 5,500 tons of recyclable materials entering the waste stream.
The mayor says these extra tons will not enter a landfill but will be salvaged at a plant in Portsmouth where recyclables are removed from trash before the trash is burned for power generation. If that salvage operation is so efficient, why have curbside recycling or drop-off-center recycling at all? Simply funnel all the city trash through that power plant and pay for it to salvage all the recyclables.
If Virginia Beach stops curbside recycling, more waste will enter landfills. A far-better plan would be for the city to continue curbside recycling and encourage more of the public to participate. SPSA could work on a more-efficient curbside system and postpone its curbside fees.
We need Virginia Beach back on board, with or without the extra fees.
ROBERT A. CALLAWAY
Chesapeake, May 10, 1996 by CNB