To the editor:

Congratulations to Lawrence city commissioners for their attempt to make Lawrence a greener community. The residential recycling program should become a great success, as it was with private businesses. Arguments supporting independent recyclers are now moot since we have the city-operated monopoly.

Yet, it is the unintended consequence that is of concern. The city is not providing service to businesses. Compounding the fact that most independent recyclers have opted to not continue in business is the decision by Deffenbaugh to no longer provide commercial service to Lawrence. Citing the legislative termination of their residential accounts, Deffenbaugh states they can no longer serve commercial clients efficiently. Their dumpsters have been removed from businesses. Just as the city gears up residential recycling, commercial recycling is stopped cold.

City employees in the Solid Waste Division have assured commercial customers that the city will be providing commercial service “sometime in 2015.”  Not quite true. Commercial service is provided to apartments (businesses) and the City of Lawrence — specifically the Sports Pavilion — but, not to retail businesses. The goose and gander comes to mind — equal access, etc.

Many businesses have had single-stream recycling for years. A lapse of service will result in increased landfill use and significantly reduce the recycling momentum businesses have achieved.

The city commissioners’ commitment to expand to commercial business is commendable. However, the time is now, not next year. Avoiding a harmful lapse of service is a mandate to continuing the recycling efforts of businesses, a mandate to a greener community.