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Recycling Workshop Is Today

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By CARL ORTH, The Suncoast News

Published: January 16, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Because trash is a terrible thing to waste, Pasco County commissioners will ask the public for ideas about recycling during a workshop today.

Commissioners didn't have to accept public comments at the session, but decided last week to let residents and trash haulers have their say.

"I'm very pleased the commission agreed to take public comment," Commissioner Jack Mariano said. "I think it will be a great crowd."

Mariano is among those who would like to copy a Polk County recycling plant here.

At the least, he said, Pasco County might adopt the Hernando County method of mandatory recycling.

Participation in recycling has been somewhat anemic under the current blue bag setup. Residents put recyclable items in blue plastic bags for curbside pickup at least once every two weeks.

Nine trash-hauling companies set their schedules, though, to pick up the bags.

A pilot program last year delivered mixed results in a test pitting blue bags against bins for sorting recyclable trash in one neighborhood. Both methods seemed to produce about the same amount of recyclables, County Administrator John Gallagher has observed. He thinks the blue bag system is working.

Mariano favors consolidating all recyclable pickups under one hauler. That could help cut down on garbage truck traffic in neighborhoods and boost efficiency, he contends.

Commissioner Michael Cox said one of his goals this year is to work toward mandatory recycling. The load at Pasco's waste-to-energy plant is proof of that, he has said.

The Pasco County Resource Recovery Facility on Hays Road burns solid waste to produce electricity. Trash sometimes swamps the plant's capacity, forcing Pasco to export excess garbage to Osceola County.

Adding a fourth boiler at the Pasco facility could cost about $150 million.

Recycling might help postpone expensive expansion at the plant and take pressure off landfills, commissioners have said.

IF YOU GO

County commissioners will accept public comments during today's 1:30 p.m. recycling workshop at the West Pasco Government Center, 7530 Little Road, New Port Richey.

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