Recycle rates fall as enforcement nears

Door-to-door education is ongoing

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By SEAN KINNEY

skinney@keynoter.com

Posted - Monday, October 26, 2009 07:03 AM EDT

With enforcement set to start in just more than four months, the mandatory recycling law in Key West doesn't appear to have gained much traction with residents.

In January, when the City Commission adopted the law in a 4-3 vote, the city recycling rate was 9.16 percent of 4,144 tons of solid waste. Compare that to last month, when the numbers added up to 6.16 percent of 3,456 tons of waste.

The rate was nearly 8 percent in April and May, but has lingered just over 6 percent since then.

"Our goal is obviously to get off that 6 percent and to the national average of 32 percent," said Commissioner Teri Johnston, who sponsored the ordinance early this year.

In addition to the national average, there's also a state mandate: House Bill 7135, signed into law last year by Gov. Charlie Crist, requires a 75 percent statewide recycling rate by 2020.

"I think getting people to change behavior is something that takes more than a couple of months," said Alyson Crean, the city spokeswoman also charged with tracking recycling stats.

The original ordinance called for enforcement, coming from the city's Code Compliance Department, to begin immediately. In a compromise, that clause was dropped in favor of a yearlong educational effort consisting of radio, television and print ads; and volunteers providing door-to-door education. So far, 1,485 volunteer/resident interactions have been recorded.

"A good percentage of people that we're calling on door to door are already recycling," Crean said.

So that leaves enforcement to start early next year.

"We have had some staff meetings as far as the ordinance," Code Compliance Manager Jim Young told the Keynoter, "but nothing concrete. I anticipate we'll be sitting down shortly with city staff."

"Right now, our plan is to get over Goombay and Fantasy Fest," he joked midday Friday.

Young also said he wants to research how other cities with mandatory recycling ordinances are handling the enforcement.

When the February enforcement date arrives, households not recycling will be fined $50. If they still don't following that, according to a city memo dated January 2009 from Annalise Mannix, environmental programs manager, "If staff does not see compliance [such as recycle bins not out at the curb] after significant educational opportunities were provided, the code officer will examine the trash and if there is recyclables, the officer will tape the trash pail closed and [Waste Management] will not pick up the trash."