Document text
New grant to boost recycling By Peter Wong of the Mail Tribune Jackson County recycles about a third of its garbage, but a new effort aims to boost that rate to 42 percent in two years. Joined by waste haulers and cities, county government has begun to promote waste prevention and material reuse. The effort involves classroom education, newspaper and radio advertising, and more composting. County commissioners have accepted a grant of $32,500 from the state Department of Environmental Quality. It will match $17,400 raised by local waste haulers and larger cities. Through recycling or reuse, Jackson County recovered an estimated 34 percent of the 207,881 tons of waste it generated in 1998, up from 15 percent in 1992. That rate exceeded its goal of 25 percent, according to DEQ, but fell below the state average of 37.3 percent. The county's new goal for 2002 is 42 percent. Oregon's goal for 2000 is 50 percent. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set a national goal of 35 percent by 2005. Don Cordell, of Rogue Disposal and Recycling, the county's largest waste hauler, said his company provides curbside pickups and transfer-site depots to make recycling easier. "But by themselves, they do not mean that people are recycling," he said. "So the question is how you change people's behavior to try to get them to sort newspaper, glass and other material so we can increase our recycling percentage. We need to do a better job of educating residents about the opportunities to recycle." Under a 1997 state law, counties can boost their recovery rates by 2 to 6 percentage points if the state certifies their programs for waste prevention, material reuse, and composting. Only seven counties, plus the three counties of the Portland metropolitan area, had such programs in 1998. "Counties are looking at those programs as the best approach toward increasing their recovery rates," said Bob Guerra, a natural resource specialist with DEQ in Medford. "The grants make it easier for them to get it done sooner." Guerra said the priorities will be on preventing waste, then reusing or recycling material. Jackson County applied for the grant on behalf of smaller cities unable to contribute on their own. Other participants are Rogue Disposal, Ashland Sanitary and Recycling, and the cities of Medford, Ashland, Central Point and Talent. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA