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STOPPING THE CYCLE? Glendale considers ending, altering its recycling program

Posted 1/19/20

Recycling has become much less profitable in the two decades since Glendale opened its recycling center. Now, city officials are considering whether changes need to be made to its recycling program …

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STOPPING THE CYCLE? Glendale considers ending, altering its recycling program

Posted

Recycling has become much less profitable in the two decades since Glendale opened its recycling center. Now, city officials are considering whether changes need to be made to its recycling program or whether the city should stop recycling all together.

Last month, City Council directed staff to continue analyzing the cost of the city’s recycling programs and the direction of local and international markets for recyclables and to gather resident feedback about recycling.

“What do we have to do to fix recycling if we choose to stay with recycling? So, we’re looking at: What commodities would we take in? How would we market them? And should we actually be recycling?” Director of Field Operations Michelle Woytenko said about staff’s upcoming analysis.

Recycling has become less profitable since Glendale’s program began in 2000. It costs Glendale about $1 million to recycle what it does, Ms. Woytenko said. There are also many materials Glendale does not recycle or recently stopped recycling.

Glendale recycles more than just what its residents put in the blue bin. Glendale’s facility also takes recyclables from Peoria, Goodyear and Avondale and swaps some recyclables with Phoenix.

Staff checked for Council approval, which it received, before devoting more staff hours to study recycling. Staff has already completed about two-thirds of an estimated 320-340 staff hours the project will take but asked Council to approve another 100 hours.

Staff’s process includes three steps: an analysis of the economics of the recycling program; an outreach program which will seek public feedback through a survey, social media and neighborhood meetings; and an education plan, which will inform residents about whatever plan Council selects moving forward.

“It’s a huge problem that has to be dealt with. I’d be curious to see how you guys — what formula you come up with there,” Mayor Jerry Weiers said to staff.

In a television show for public access Glendale 11, Vice Mayor Ray Malnar of the Sahuaro District, toured the city’s recycling facility, called the Materials Recovery Facility. In the video, Ms. Woytenko explained that most recyclable materials can’t be sold for as much as they could when the plant opened in 2000. For example, China was able to pay more for recycled paper than most domestic facilities, forcing those facilities to close. But recently, after China controlled much of the market, China realized it could make new paper for less than the cost of recycling paper, drying up much of the market for recycled paper.

In September, Mr. Malnar suggested that staff examine recycling further.

“I thought this was a very worthy item for the Council to consider,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of information that we need before we make any decisions regarding moving forward on what we’re going to do with recycling. And I think the citizens — there’s a lot of concern out there about stopping or not stopping. And so I think it’s a very valid topic for us to be considering right now.”

Ms. Woytenko said the survey and feedback outreach staff will conduct after its analysis is complete will include the findings of the analysis, so the public can make an informed decision. The information of the analysis and public sentiment will both be delivered to Council, who will decide how to move forward with the recycling program.

If staff cannot find a way for the program to turn a profit or break even, Council must weigh the environmental benefit of recycling against the cost to the city and/or an increase waste rates for residents.

Ocotillo Councilman Jamie Aldama stressed making that dilemma clear to residents in the public outreach process “(so) our citizens know that we’re doing this and we’re making our footprint smaller, but it’s costing you money,” he said.

What does Glendale recycle?

Glendale residents, and residents of cities that use Glendale’s recycling facility, can recycle paper, including newspaper, cardboard, cartons, chipboard, steel or tin cans and some plastic. The only plastic that Glendale recycles are the ones labeled with a 1 or 2 inside the recycling triangle on the label. Glendale has stopped recycling plastics labeled 3 through 7.

Council already gave staff direction last spring to continue to not recycle those plastics.

“Council agreed with us: there’s no market for them,” Ms. Woytenko said.

Cholla District Councilwoman Lauren Tolmachoff said the city needs to do a better job telling residents only some plastics can be recycled.

“People don’t even know there’s a number inside that triangle,” she said. “I mean, there’s really a lot of education that needs to happen for people to understand that the plastics all have a number and that not all of them are getting recycled.”

Glendale’s recycling program also does not accept, among many other items, landscaping, plastic grocery bags, Styrofoam or glass.

Ernie Ruiz, Glendale’s solid waste superintendent, told Mr. Malnar when glass is recycled it grinds into a fine sand that can get into the machines and put a lot of wear on them.

“Not running glass through our facility, I believe has helped us maintain this facility as long as we have,” Mr. Ruiz said.

Ms. Tolmachoff requested staff examine the cost effectiveness a glass crusher, which she’d read other cities use to turn glass into a sand that can be sold.

After staff’s analysis and the public’s feedback, City Council will decide if Glendale should recycle fewer items, more items, change the way it recycles some items, or stop its recycling program entirely.

Mark Carlisle can be reached at mcarlisle@newszap.com or found on Twitter @mwcarlisle.