LESS TRASH, MORE CASH

First, Cape Girardeau city officials suggested recycling.

Then they encouraged it.

Now the message is recycle or get hit in the wallet.

Monday will mark the beginning of a new rate structure for residential solid waste pickup in the city. Customers will continue paying $12.13 a month for one trash pickup and one recycling pickup per week.

However, instead of picking up three 35-gallon containers of solid waste for that amount, collectors will accept only two. Any additional containers must be marked with tags that cost $1 each.

Public Works Director Doug Leslie said the change doesn't have to mean a price increase for customers. Only 23 percent of Cape Girardeau residents routinely put out three or more containers, and these people may choose to put out more recyclables, which are unlimited.

Residents also may "precycle," or buy items that aren't in bulky, non-recyclable containers.

The city's informational campaign about the rate structure change focused on the recycling message with slogans like: "Control your cost! Recycling and solid waste go hand in hand."

Leslie said the $12.13 is a base cost for solid waste disposal. The amount also covers costs of recycling, composting, spring cleanup, leaf collection, debt service on the closure of the city's landfill and fees at Lemmons Landfill in Dexter.

The new rate structure isn't only necessary to cover the city's costs, but also to strongly encourage recycling, Leslie said. State law requires the municipal waste stream be reduced by 40 percent by the year 1998.

There's some confusion in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources about how that reduction will be measured, but the less waste the city has, the better, Leslie said. Right now, residents toss out 137 tons of refuse each week.

But more and more of them are recycling -- cans, bottles, plastic, newspapers and the like. Although the market for recyclables is soft right now, Solid Waste Coordinator Pam Sander successfully rid the city of everything without putting any of it in landfills.

"There may be zero dollars exchanged, but at least it didn't cost us anything," Sander said. "We may have to pay to get rid of it at some point, but it still won't cost as much to give it to the mill than to landfill it."

Recycling costs to the city are kept down through free labor available from jail inmates and people completing community service. They sort and load material.

The city also accepts leaves, grass and small branches at 120 N. Broadview. Workers compost the material and then give it away as mulch at the southeast corner of Arena Park.

But some residents don't know how to recycle, Sander said, particularly people who have relied on Dumpsters for all waste disposal. The city offers a detailed brochure on what may be recycled and how items should be packaged for pickup.

So far, there has been little resistance to the new rate structure. Very few solid waste customers complained about the decrease in the container limit. Environmental Services Coordinator Steve Cook attributes the acceptance to education.

"There's a national trend toward volume-based pricing, and that's what we're doing," he said.

"Our residents aren't seeing solid waste disposal as a problem we only have here," Sander added. "It has been in all the papers and on television, and people have become familiar with the concept of recycling."

Residents who bought $2 bags under the old rate structure may trade them in for two $1 tags at the Department of Public Works, 219 N. Kingshighway. The tags also are available at both Schnucks locations, Food Giant, Super D and City Hall. They will be available soon at Wal-Mart.

Residential trash pickup costs

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- $12.13 per month for one solid waste pickup and one recycling pickup each week. There's a two-container trash limit for that cost but no limit on recyclables.

JACKSON -- Once-a-week solid waste collection is free, and there's no container limit. Recyclables may be taken to the Jackson Power Plant.

SIKESTON -- $8.50 per month for twice-a-week solid waste pickups with a limit of eight bags per pickup. Recyclables may be dropped off on Wednesdays at Sonny's Solid Waste.

PERRYVILLE -- Solid waste fees are based on water usage. The lowest cost for once-a-week pickup is $3.35 a month and the limit is $8.50. There's no container limit. Recyclable newspapers may be picked up with the solid waste, but there's no other recycling program.

CAIRO, ILL. -- $8.50 per month for once-a-week pickup with a two-container limit. There is no recycling program.

SCOTT CITY -- $7 per month for twice-a-week pickup with a three-container limit. There is no recycling program.

Cape Girardeau's Solid Waste program

July 1974 -- The city takes over solid waste hauling from a private company. The service is free to residents.

August 1986 -- Residents start paying $4.86 per month for trash service. There is a three-container limit on the books, but it isn't enforced.

March 1989 -- The trash collection fee goes up to $8.90 a month.

April 1990 -- A pilot recycling program begins in Woodland Hills Subdivision.

July 1990 -- The city and the League of Women Voters join to make a recycling collection site available at the Department of Public Works.

October 1990 -- The pilot recycling program expands to Myers Subdivision.

October 1991 -- Residents all over the city get full curbside recycling. Enforcement of the three-bag limit law begins.

August 1992 -- The trash collection fee goes to $10.54 a month.

August 1994 -- The trash collection fee goes to $12.13 a month.

July 1996 -- Residents are limited to two containers of solid waste per pickup but allowed to buy $1 tags for additional containers.