UPDATED: Pike explores curbside recycling program for St. George

Written by Michael Flynn

Story updated 3/05/2014 at 2:06 p.m.

At a city council work meeting on Thursday, Feb. 27, St. George Mayor Jon Pike announced that curbside recycling may soon be coming to St. George, and possibly to other areas in Washington County.

“I would like to seriously look at the possibility of doing a curbside recycling program,” he said as the meeting drew to a close.

Pike told the council that he has been in discussions with Neil Schwendiman, district manager at the Washington County Solid Waste District, as well as representatives from Rocky Mountain Recycling, about what it would take to offer curbside recycling to residents. Pike broadly outlined for the council three ways the city might implement such a program, and he directed the council to further examine those options and begin seriously considering which, if any, they would like the city to pursue.

“I think we could do it at a much more affordable rate than in the past,” Pike said.

He told the council if they decide to go ahead with curbside pickup, they will have to decide whether or not participation will be mandatory for all residents. 

Another option, Pike suggested, would be for the city to provide a 90 day “opt-out window” for residents who do not wish to pay for the service. Alternatively, he said, the city could implement the program so residents who want curbside recycling would have to actively opt into the program; however, Pike said this option would be the most expensive for the city to pursue.

“The best thing is if you have everybody doing it,” Pike said. “That’s how we do garbage. It brings the cost the lowest.”

Pike said mandatory curbside recycling is the least expensive option because it spreads the cost of the program among all residents. He clarified that a mandatory curbside recycling program would not mean residents would be compelled to recycle, but rather all residents would have the option to use it, and everyone would share the cost for the service.

If the city decided to allow residents to opt out of the program, Rocky Mountain Recycling estimates that between 50 and 60 percent of households would participate and that the cost for each participating resident would likely be around $3.50 and $4.50 per month, which Pike said he thinks is very reasonable.

“You can keep so much out of the landfill if you recycle,” he said. “If you get really good participation, it can save you 50 or 100 years in terms of when you fill up your landscape.”

The council also has the option to partner with other local cities and towns through the Washington County Solid Waste District. Washington Mayor Ken Nielson said curbside recycling is definitely something for Washington to look into; however, he said he hasn’t yet spoken with Mayor Pike about the possibility.

Pike said even if other communities do not want to partner with St. George at this time, he’d like the council to seriously consider introducing a curbside recycling program in St. George. 

“If this is going to happen,” he said, “it is going to take St. George leading the way.”

Pike said he plans to speak with other local mayors in the coming weeks, and the solid waste board could present to the St. George City Council this summer. Pike said if citizens support the idea, we might see curbside recycling in St. George as soon as January 2015.