Chattanooga Curbside Recycling Program Remains Until October

The city of Chattanooga has decided to continue its underachieving citywide curbside recycling program until this October. Due to the high cost of the program and budgetary constraints the city has been looking to cut its recycling program. The city will for not stop curbside recycling as was recently planned.

The program peaked at a participation rate of around 13 percent, and has held level over the years, despite efforts by the city to boost the overall recycling rates.

The City Council decided to continue curbside recycling until October so that a "task force" can try to figure out a way to make the program more efficient or even profitable as other cities around the country have done. The decision to extend the recycling program was made during the City Council meeting July 11.

During the Councils' Public Works Committee plans were made to appoint one Councilman Manuel Rico, who is head of the Public Works Committee, said the task force will be made up of one representative from each of the nine wards in the city, as well as a representative whom the Mayor will choose.

Rico says that any revamping of the recycling program could include a mix of options, including keeping part of the curbside program operating in regions of the city where participation rates are higher. Another option would be to place drop-off containers throughout the city.

The Mayor and City Council also approved plans Tuesday to spend another $9.3-million to expand and maintain the current landfill in northern Hamilton County.

According to published reports public works officials said it costs about $200 to $240 per ton to recycle materials such as paper, plastic, glass and cans. That compares to about $50 per ton to have it picked up and dumped into the landfill.