Residents can help curb costs of building another landfill, experts say

Recycling isn’t a big money-saver in the short-term, experts say, but gradually can add up to savings in the long-term.

“Recycling does not save money,” said Mollie Mangerich, operations supervisor for the Lawrence’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Division. “In general, recycling costs money.”

That’s because, Mangerich said, the value of materials collected for recycling is typically not great enough to offset the costs of collection, processing, storage and transportation.

“Communities that have high landfill costs can justify the expense of recycling programs better than communities that have low landfill costs,” Mangerich said.

On average, Lawrence’s landfill costs, at $19.15 per ton, are relatively low when compared to larger cities that face a cost of $50 to $100 per ton, Mangerich said.

Curbside recycling programs usually are more expensive than drop-off recycling programs.

But many Lawrence residents are taking to the idea of curbside pickup because they’re looking for a convenient way to recycle.

“There’s a true following. People say it’s never been this easy,” said Jeff Joseph, of Jeff’s Curbside Recycling. “It has taken a long time to become cost-effective, but there’s a lot of dedicated people in Lawrence who recycle.”

The cost is $15 per month. Joseph picks up the recyclable items once a week and drops them off at the Wal-Mart Recycling Center. The center doesn’t make any money for the nation’s largest retailer.

“The Wal-Mart Recycling Center operates at a loss, but the store keeps it running to keep our landfills clean,” said Scottie Walker, recycling assistant manager for Wal-Mart.

And that’s where the long-term cost savings begin.

Lawrence’s main landfill, which is run by Hamm Cos. and is located in southern Jefferson County, has a 150-year lifespan. If recycling activities can decrease the amount of trash going into landfills, the lifespan may be increased by several years.

That has the potential to create cost savings for everyone who pays a monthly bill to have their trash hauled away, because creating new landfills isn’t cheap, and the costs are ultimately paid, in sanitation fees, by area residents who generate the trash. Most Lawrence residents pay a monthly sanitation fee of just more than $10.

And as Lawrence grows, landfill capacity becomes more and more of an issue each day. Lawrence generated 53,664 tons of municipal solid waste in 2001, an increase of 7 percent from the previous year. On average, Lawrence residents generate 3.9 pounds of trash per person per day.

But there are many residents who are trying to combat the growing trash pile. There’s a current recycling rate of 29 percent in Lawrence, according to the city’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Division.

But many residents, like Larry Bruening, probably don’t recycle in hopes that it will save them a few bucks on future trash bills. Instead, Bruening said, he recycles to save natural resources.

“The recycling center at Wal-Mart is always packed,” Bruening said. “We come out here every two weeks with our paper, plastic and cardboard bins, and it only takes about 15 minutes out of your day. I just feel guilty if I throw all that away when it can be recycled for future use.”