A new approach to recycling — including a change in collection days — may be coming to Jacksonville.
Alderman Lori Oldenettel this week presented two options for a recycling agreement resulting from a study in conjunction with Illinois College students to determine what residents want when it comes to recycling.
The first option would be that the program continues as it is, with curbside recycling twice a month. The second option would also be twice a month, but bins would be provided for residents to contain recyclables and collections would be moved to the same as trash pickup.
“That’s something that respondents said they really wanted, a bin for storage capacity and new days so they’d have a better idea when recycling would take place,” Oldenettel said. “We’re excited to be able to provide recycling bins to anyone who would like to opt-in for curbside recycling.”
Providing the agreement is approved at the next city council meeting, the 95-gallon recycling bins would be provided by Area Disposal in a few months to those who want to take part in the program. Pickup dates would change in January.
According to the city survey, 54 percent said that they would be interested in recycling if trash and recycling collections were the same day. About 74 percent of those who do not recycle said they would do so if a recycling bin was provided. Almost half of those who do recycle said they’d show greater interest with new bins.
The initial contract would call for five years of the service with a 3 percent annual increase. Oldenettel said the council will ask for a reduction to 2.5 percent annually. The portion paid by the city for recycling would increase about $1,000 a month but the service would be provided to residents at no additional cost.
“The city council is embracing recycling and we understand the importance of recycling so we hope that the residents of Jacksonville will participate,” Oldenettel said. “Currently, we have a participation rate somewhere around 23 percent that participate in curbside recycling. It’d be great if those numbers were higher.”
