Friday, March 07, 2008

County Residents to Pay for Replacement of Recycling Carts

While St. Louis County is supplying the recycling carts to County residents, replacement of carts due to theft, damage, etc. will be the responsibility of the resident. The cost of the initial cart was around $40, but this was in a purchase quantity of over 100,000.

The County said the purpose of the cart distribution program is to provide an initial incentive for households to recycle. The cart will make it more convenient and cost effective for all County residents to recycle. This is questionable since many residents now have zero cost as they either recycle through their church or other organization . . . or do not recycle at all. While most everyone agrees that recycling is important, the County's program is an added expense.

The cart distribution program is a onetime stimulus for recycling and was not intended to continue after the initial distribution. There is no provision to replace lost or stolen carts or damaged carts that are not due to manufacturer’s defects. After that it would be up to the resident to maintain and/or replace the cart.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:28 PM

    There are more concerns to these comments. Many households in St. Louis County are rental units, so who owns the cart, the tenant or the landlord. Who is responsible. Many carts will be stolen when people move out to another location, leaving no cart behind. Haulers will not repair broken or damaged carts they don't own. I new people move into empty homes, they must get an approved cart from their hauler, who will then carge rent for the cart, in addition to the mandatory service fee. Some single elderly folks, can't afford the service, much less use the cart, but will be required by law to pay the mandatory fee, use it or not. Kids will move and hide the carts in neighborhoods, just like shopping carts.

    The entire plan was flawed from the beginning. Bad plan, over $4 million spent on carts, plus distribution costs, the OPT out leaves Districts full of holes for service, the bidding process is unfair to small but compitent haulers, there is no gaurentee that the prices will go down or that services will be improved or at least maintained.

    There wasn't even a landfill crisis, just a manufactured one used to sell this program. This is simply gross incompetence on the part of the St. Louis County administration and staff.

    Once everyone receives their firts increased billing for these mandates from their hauler, then we will see a crisis.

    Call and complain to your county officials. The more you do, the more effective the results. Don't let them off the hook for this, Remember, "You Paid for It"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous1:31 PM

    The cart distribution program is a onetime stimulus for recycling and was not intended to continue after the initial distribution. There is no provision to replace lost or stolen carts or damaged carts that are not due to manufacturer’s defects. After that it would be up to the resident to maintain and/or replace the cart.

    The only "Stimulus" out of this program, was that of the EGO's of the elected officials forcing it on us.
    Remember, "if something sounds to good to be true, it usually is"

    This program is tragic, a multi-million dollar one!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9:17 AM

    If more people would take the time to read this:

    http://www.stlouisco.com/doh/waste/Get%20Rolling%20Recycling%20Cart%20Welcome%20Booklet.pdf

    There would be a lot less bad information being spread on this blog site.

    ReplyDelete