Registration for comingled recycling program has begun

PETERSBURG ­– The Petersburg Borough Sanitation Department has set Feb. 4 to be the start date of the new comingled voluntary recycling program.

Residents who want to participate must call Public Works at 772-4430 to sign up. Once that’s done, sanitation staff will drop off blue bags, free of charge, at residences and businesses during the week of Jan. 20.

Current residents who already practice curbside recycling will be automatically transferred into the new program.

After the initial rollout of the recycling program, free bags will be available for pick up from the public works office located at 303 South Second St.

According to borough guidelines, “If you have 32 gallon garbage service, signing up for the comingled program will keep you at the lowest rate possible. If you choose not to sign up, 32 gallon garbage service without recycling will cost you 20 percent more.”

No limit has been placed on the amount of bags you recycle however users must put out one bag per week to maintain the lowest rate. If the bags are too large for a customer’s weekly recyclables they should call public works.

Karl Hagerman, public works director, said he’s heard concerns from several community members about the bags being too big. He said his department will track how many people have that issue and if it’s a big enough problem, the borough will order smaller bags. But Hagerman also said it’s surprising how many items in the solid waste stream are recyclable.

For customers whose service is greater than 32 gallons, signing up for the recycling program should allow users to downgrade their service and pay less for their garbage pickup.

“The more they recycle the less solid waste they’ll have in their can,” Hagerman said.

He added that, according to EPA figures, 75 percent of what is normally in the solid waste stream is recyclable.

For customers whose service is greater than 32 gallons, signing up for the recycling program should allow users to downgrade their service and pay less for their garbage pickup.

Commercial businesses will also have access to recycling and fees will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If sanitation staff encounters items in recycling bags that are not allowed they will “tag” the bag with a red ribbon.

Bags must be placed next to customers’ garbage containers.

“It’s a big change for Petersburg but there’s been a lot of interest,” Hagerman said. “We’re looking forward to it.”

Petersburg Indian Association will collect the comingled bags until their contract with the borough expires at the end of March. The borough will then put out a Request for Proposals to see if any other business or organization, including PIA, wants to pursue a new contract.

Additional information can be found on the borough’s website.