It’s well known that adopting single-stream recycling increases participation in any program designed to reduce material headed for landfills.
People find it more convenient to toss all their recyclable goods into one container rather than having to separate them. This means more items will be recycled than thrown away.
And this means that the lifetime of a landfill will be lengthened because it takes longer to reach its capacity. Goods that otherwise would be thrown away will be reused to make consumer products, and natural resources will be preserved. This is a beneficial deal all around.
Of course, recycling isn’t without its challenges. China has significantly reduced its demand for recycled goods over the past decade, for example, which decreased the value of these items. This hurt a major market for U.S. products made from recycled material.
And while single-stream recycling encourages more participation, the equipment needed to do so is expensive. Jefferson County has toyed with the idea of implementing single-stream recycling for several years but has repeatedly found this prospect too cost prohibitive.
Watertown officials have been discussing a possible partnership with the Development Authority of the North Country on a single-stream recycling plan. Residents would be able to place all their recyclable goods into one container for pickup, and city crews would transport it to the Harrisville Regional Recycling Transfer Station operated by DANC in Lewis County.
“Recyclables, along with city refuse, are now taken several times a week to Jefferson County’s recycling transfer station on Route 12 in Pamelia, compared to possibly one or two times a week at the DANC transfer station,” according to a story published Tuesday by the Watertown Daily Times. “The city’s recycling trucks collect recyclables every other week from people’s homes, totaling 500 tons annually.”
DANC opened its transfer station in Harrisville earlier this year. It’s used by Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, which have seen their transportation expenses reduced. But Jefferson County officials noted that the recycling program at their transfer station continues to break even, so investing in single-stream recycling equipment doesn’t make sense for them at this time.
Watertown has been mulling the idea of bringing its recyclable goods there for a few months. Just like clients in Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, the city could see its costs lowered by having their recyclable goods brought to the Harrisville facility rather than Jefferson County’s transfer station in the town of Pamelia.
Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith has been advocating single-stream recycling for Watertown residents for years, since his time as a member of the City Council. There are issues that remain unresolved, and he is discussing them with representatives of DANC to see if an agreement can be reached.
Much of Watertown’s waste-management resources will need to be replaced in the near future. If would benefit the city to work out a plan with DANC now. Then as it obtains new trucks and equipment, it can purchase those able to handle single-stream recycling.
Buying new items that can’t do this will lock the city into its current system for years to come. Long-term thinking is needed here, and single-stream recycling is the best option for moving forward. Collaborating with DANC is in the best interests of city residents, so we urge officials to continue along this path.
