Curbside recycling in Richmond Hill appears to have some support in the community.
During a public hearing Tuesday at City Hall, resident Wendy Hunter presented the Richmond Hill City Council with a petition of about 170 signatures in support of a citywide program.
“They put up speed limits for the good of the community traveling through our neighborhoods, through our streets in the city, through the interstate going through Richmond Hill,” Hunter said. “They also tell us there’s no smoking in restaurants — that it’s overall good for the community. Recycling is overall good for the community.”
She added a Facebook poll produced about 50 votes also in favor of a pick-up program.
Though the council took no action on the matter, Russ Hightower with Waste Management explained to the council how the single-stream recycling program — one similar to that used by the county — would work in the city.
Each resident would receive a 96-gallon container similar to the can they have for curbside trash pick up, Hightower said. Many household items like plastic bottles, cardboard, aluminum cans and more would be put into the recycling bin instead of the trash can, he added.
“Generally if you produce it in your kitchen and you think it’s recyclable, it’s probably on this list,” Hightower told the council and a crowd of about 20 residents. “I like to tell people don’t be nervous about throwing it in the recycling bin, just go ahead and do it because we’re going to pick it out if it’s not supposed to be there later.”
He also said recyclables aren’t required to be “spic and span” when they are thrown out, although Waste Management asks that the items are rinsed or major residues removed.
Read more in the July 21 edition of the News.