Unlike most cities throughout the nation, Alexandria has no
program requiring businesses to recycle their waste. Overall, only
28 percent of the garbage the city generates is reused -- one of the
lowest percentages in Northern Virginia. At a time when the city is
wrestling with tremendous growth and rising density, thus putting a
greater focus on preserving the environment, the review raised
concerns.
In response, city officials are asking the City Council to
approve Alexandria's first mandatory recycling program for
businesses, along with condominiums and apartment buildings.
Currently, the city only picks up recyclable products -- aluminum,
steel, glass, plastic, newspapers and magazines -- from
single-family homes and townhouses whose owners choose to put them
out on the street.
"We are lagging behind," said Richard Baier, the city's
director of transportation and environmental services. "Recycling is
good for the environment and it's the right thing to do. Instead of
throwing away something that's going to get used once, you reuse
it."
The plan, presented as part of the proposed fiscal 2005
budget, is part of an overall solid waste initiative that would also
raise the annual "refuse fee" paid by residents from $185 to $205.
The fee, which covers all garbage collection including recycling
services, is paid by about 17,800 city households. It has not been
raised since fiscal 2000.
Officials say the increase is needed because costs
associated with collecting garbage are rising for the city. They
range from workers' salaries, to truck maintenance, to the fees
charged to dump waste at a joint Alexandria-Arlington County waste
energy plant on Eisenhower Avenue.
Even with the rate increase, Baier pointed out, Alexandria
residents would still be paying $41 less than Arlingtonians and $35
less than Fairfax County residents if those two jurisdictions also
approve pending fee increases for garbage collection.
"It's just like costs have gone up for your household in
the past four years," Baier said. "It's the same sort of costs
running a business."
In conjunction with the fee increase, the city is also
proposing changes to the residential recycling program. Officials
want to contract it out to a private company, which they say would
save about $100,000 a year because a big company would be able to
save money and charge the city less by buying equipment in bulk and
using it more efficiently.
The savings would be used to expand residential recycling
to include pickup of cardboard and "mixed paper" such as computer
printouts and office paper. Officials said no city employees would
lose their jobs if the City Council approves the changes.
"We would get a bigger bang for our buck," Baier
said.
As for the proposed commercial recycling program, the
details are not yet clear and are expected to be worked out over the
next several months. City officials said that they intend to work
with the business community and that they would consider excluding
small business, such as those with 25 or fewer employees.
"It is absolutely the right goal and part of a long-term
vision for the city," said council member Rob Krupicka (D), who
focuses on environmental issues. "It's just a matter of implementing
it in a way that doesn't overly burden businesses and is also
effective. You don't want to create something that people consider a
pain and then they won't do it."
The council is scheduled to vote on the new city budget,
which includes the solid waste fee increase and the changes to
residential recycling program, on May 3. As for commercial
recycling, Baier wants the council to approve the concept by June
30, but it probably would not be implemented immediately. The new
fiscal year begins July 1.
Ken Moore, president and CEO of the Alexandria Chamber of
Commerce, said his organization has not yet had time to study the
commercial recycling proposal and determine how it would affect
businesses.
"On the surface, it sounds like a pretty good idea in terms
of the environment," he said. "How cumbersome it will be for a small
business to comply, that's an issue."
© 2004 The Washington Post
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