Blog Wayback – Recycling in Albemarle?

From the Blog Wayback Series:

January 2006 – Recycling in Albemarle?

The HooK has an interesting story this morning that says that even though Albemarle County does not pick up recycling anymore,

… county code mandates that haulers have to offer the service, “but doesn’t say how it should be managed,” … and George Shadman, Albemarle County’s director of general services, urges residents whose recycling isn’t getting picked up to call general services at 296-5811. “We will call the hauler,” he says, “and remind them of their obligation.”

I called my hauler and they do not in fact offer recycling, for simple reasons which I understand. It doesn’t make financial sense to pick up recycling. They would have to come around with another truck to pick up the recycling, on a different day most likely, and this would cost more – gas prices have gone up, labor costs, etc. Personally, I would be willing to pay a little bit more (I’m not sure what amount would be the Tipping Point where I would not want to pay for this service) so that I could feel better about subscribing to the Wall Street Journal.

Maybe if we were all more willing to pay for this service, it would be more freely offered … free market anyone? I know that I and many of my clients (and friends and neighbors) would love the option to easily recycle. One would think that a progressive community such as ours would be able to achieve a progressive recycling program.

Update: July 2008 brought recycling to Albemarle