New Tulsa Recycling Program

Tuesday, December 19th 2006, 5:20 pm

By: News On 6

A new Tulsa plan to help the environment may soon be launched in your neighborhood. City leaders are testing a weekly, curbside recycling program. As the News on Six's Heather Lewin found out, it could make recycling so easy, oraganizers say there's almost no reason not to do it.

Laureen Gibson Gilroy, Tulsa Recycling Coordinator: "We're throwing away a lot of resources that could be used over and over again."

It's a plan to bring recycling right to your doorstep. Soon trash day will be transformed. In neighborhoods testing a new city program, cans will be replaced by new, large, wheeled containers provided by the city free of charge. The program targets areas with twice a week pickup. The first day will still be trash day, the second for recycling.

The city will give you a free, new recycling bin for things like cans, bottles... and magazines. Then come by weekly to pick it up. Officials say you don't even have to sort.

Laureen Gibson Gilroy, Tulsa Recycling Coordinator: "When we reuse plastic or aluminium, that means we're not mining for aluminium or using the water and other resources to make plastic, we're not using new resources, we're using old ones."

Residents who attended a informational meeting about the project are excited by the possibility. Some say they've been wanting to recycle, but didn't know the best way to go about it.

Sarah Phillips, Tulsa Resident: "We didn't do it because it was kind of confusing about how to get involved in the recycling project, now since it will be every time you put the trash out, I think it will be more useful and more people might do it."

Ronnie Cookson, Tulsa Resident: "We really just kinda throw stuff in one pile so sorting it out, making it a little more environmentally friendly, definitely why we're here."

Laureen Gibson Gilroy, Tulsa Recycling Coordinator: "People find that if they can do something consistently, they're more likely to continue doing it and with recycling that's what we're hoping to see."

City leaders say this will not raise your rates. In fact during the six-month trial, the garbage fee will be about a dollar less. To get this in your neighborhood, you have to fill out a survey mailed to your home. Officials say the project will be launched if the majority of residents who respond are in favor. Then if all goes well, it could start citywide.