WFB Recycling

One of the most common comments I receive concerns WFB's recycling program. It makes sense to review:

In late 2008, WFB began a short contract with Veolia to process our recycling, where we would be paid for our waste. Unfortunately, due to economic conditions, the prices for recycled paper, glass, etc, have plummeted and we haven't received any revenue. Naturally, the Village is still ahead of the game as we no longer pay to have the recycling processed.

With Villagers increasing the amount they recycle, folks have asked about the possibility for another monthly pickup. Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a free lunch. WFB has one recycling truck, in use every day each month. Those trucks are surprisingly expensive (think 6 figures) and, naturally, would require more labor costs.

Here's a question for readers: If you have overflows, how much of it is due to cardboard boxes? Generally, I can fit the paper/plastic/cans in the cart. It's our cardboard/shipping boxes that can't fit in the cart, and end up in a heap.

With the new Veolia contract, residents do not need to separate their paper from their plastics/metal. While the cart does have a divider, it no longer matters which side you put the material. (Personally, I think the volume of the container would slightly increase if the dividers were removed.) -- Also the DPW will drop off an additional blue bin (about the size of a laundry basket) upon request.

The new processor also will take more material, most importantly, plastics #1-#7. This week, the Village website was updated with all the rules.

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One final note. During our annual Trustee "retreat" it was suggested I add a disclaimer to this blog, which will be posted above shortly.

While I am a WFB Trustee, this blog and the comments herein do not represent the Board as a whole (naturally.) I'll also throw in my often repeated disclaimer that while the blog is published on the NOW/Journal Sentinel site, I am not a journalist, and this is simply an opinion blog.

I am always interested and willing to receive feedback if there are inaccuracies at KevinBuckleyWFB@gmail.com for blog issues, or TrusteeBuckley@WFBVillage.org for official business.