Recycling In Tulsa

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

I think that the curb-side recycling program in Tulsa is a joke.  You have to pay $2 a month in addition to trash service and there is no incentive to recycle.  So in my neighborhood almost no one participates yet they have 5 bags of garbage on Tuesday and Friday.  Also, I work in one of the tallest buildings downtown and there is no recycling program in the building.  I asked the building management about this and they said the city was supposed to have a recycling program for businesses by now but they had not heard any update.

I e-mailed the mayor and my city councilor about the problem of curb-side recycling and the lack of a program for business recycling.  I also mentioned in my e-mail that the city must consider a program like RecycleBank (http://www.recyclebank.com) to create incentive for people to recycle.  If more people recycled, the city would not have to pay as much for landfill space and could change to once a week trash pickup.  Even if you are not a "green" person, you should like recycling because it can save your tax dollars.  I never heard back from either of them and it has been weeks.  I assume this is common.  I also e-mailed the Tulsa World requesting that they do an in-depth story on this and they never responded either.

I am a new member of the TYPros and I hope that they can help to get recycling established and provide incentive for the city and Tulsa residents.  Does anyone else have any info on what's going on with recycling in Tulsa?

[RecycleMichael]

I can try to help. Ask me some specific questions and I will try to get you answers.

Here is a directory that lists all the recycling companies in the area... http://www.metrecycle.com/directory.htm

Your landlord needs to take some responsibility for recycling at your office building. The city does not force commercial businesses to recycle nor have a plan to. Lots of businesses downtown recycle and I have helped most of them get started. If I can answer any of their questions, let me know as well.

[Wrinkle]

Recycling would be a good use for all that extra revenue the Tulsa Authority for Recovery of Energy (TARE, or as the Whirled calls it "Tulsa's Trash Board", an unorthodoxed representation) continues to receive with our existing trash rates now that the Incinerator has been paid for and given away.

Anyone starts talking about a rate increase to do so and I'm opposed.

[RecycleMichael]

Anyone starts talking about a rate increase to do so and I'm opposed.

Don't go bashing the TARE board for no reason. This is the only government authority I remember who lowered rates last year.

The board is very conscious of their financial position and are working down the fund to avoid future oversized rate increases.

[Wrinkle]

Being a bit sensitive, are we?

Believe me, if I were attacking TARE, there'd be little doubt.

So, while we're on the subject, what is TARE doing that shouldn't be being done by Public Works? The Authority for Recovery of Energy has outlived its stated purpose, that being an Incinerator we don't own.

It should be disbanded at the next meeting.

Meanwhile, all the costs of an incinerator continue to be collected in our trash rates (less the $1 reduction granted by the Mayor) and their bank account swells.

Trash disposal rates are down from around $24/ton to $16/ton (that's a 33% reduction but a 50% change upward), so TARE's cost of doing business has been reduced as well.

And, all they can come up with is more ways to increase trash rates.

This is especially one operation I can do without.