County may end its curbside recycling
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
County commissioners may soon vote on an ordinance that will end the county-run curbside recycling program.
Since 2012, the county has provided a voluntary recycling service for residents in the unincorporated parts of Forsyth for a fee. The current recycling collector, Waste Industries, is not renewing its contract, which runs out at the end of the year, and is the second contractor to not renew.
Low participation and a downturn in commodities has made it hard for these companies to make money.
The ordinance, presented to commissioners during a briefing on Thursday, Sept. 29, would end county-awarded recycling franchises and deregulate the service. This would allow recycling collection companies to negotiate fees with subdivisions that they’d provide service to.
“What I think that will result in is some of the densely populated areas, like subdivisions where most of our subscribers already are in the current collection system, to be able to talk to service providers to continue enjoying that service,” said Minor Barnette, director of Forsyth’s Environmental Assistance and Protection Office.
Barnette said the county would help connect recycling collectors with homeowner associations to negotiate service. The county would require the service providers to have a permit to make sure the recyclables were being collected and delivered properly. Barnette said that the county could issue permits before years-end to make sure service resumes as quickly as possible for residents.
Those that don’t fall in areas that have negotiated service would have to bring their recyclables to one of the county’s three drop off recycling centers themselves.
County Commissioner Walter Marshall said that he didn’t support deregulation, because he felt less access to curbside recycling could lead to more residents dumping their garbage.
“The environmental impact down the road could be a real problem for the county,” he said.
Both Marshall and Commissioner Everette Witherspoon support mandatory recycling, similar to what the city has, and don’t support deregulation. County Commissioner Chair Dave Plyler also expressed interest in mandatory recycling, but said he would support deregulation.
County Commissioners are expected to vote on the measure in their next regular meeting at 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10.
