CAREFUL SORTING CAN TURN TRASH INTO GREEN CASH L.A. COUNCIL OKS RECYCLING INCENTIVES.Byline: Dan Laidman Staff Writer Angelenos who sort their trash with care could be rewarded with cash prizes as part of a recycling effort approved Wednesday by the City Council. With the panel's unanimous endorsement of the Recycle for Dollars program, city officials will begin working on an eight-week test scheduled to begin in March or April. During the test, sanitation workers will inspect recycling bins at 1,800 houses across the city. Those that clearly separate the vast majority of trash from recyclable items could win $200. ``Our intention is to reduce reliance on landfills, educate the public on recycling and increase revenue to the city,'' said Alexander Helou, a manager in the Bureau of Sanitation's Solid Resources Support Services support services Psychology Non-health care-related ancillary services–eg, transportation, financial aid, support groups, homemaker services, respite services, and other services Division. The program, modeled after a similar effort in Berkeley, will target areas in each of Los Angeles' 15 council districts that have particularly high trash ``contamination'' rates. In some of the areas, up to 30 percent of the contents in recycling bins is actually trash, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a Bureau of Sanitation report. Sanitation officials will work with neighborhood councils Neighborhood councils are governmental or non-governmental bodies composed of local people who handle neighborhood problems. They can be found in many cities throughout the world. to publicize pub·li·cize tr.v. pub·li·cized, pub·li·ciz·ing, pub·li·ciz·es To give publicity to. publicize or -cise Verb [-cizing, -cized] the program, and residents will get advance notice if their area is chosen for the test run. Fliers will be used to remind people about recyclable items ranging from papers, packaging and publications to metal, glass and plastic containers. During the test, the 45 residences that have 5 percent or less contamination in their recycling bins each week will be randomly chosen to win a $200 prize. Any unclaimed or unused money is rolled over, potentially driving prizes up to $1,000. The program - started with $139,000 from the Curbside Recycling Trust Fund - will be assessed after its eight-week test to determine whether to extend or expand it. Councilman Greig Smith Greig Smith is a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 12th District, which includes Granada Hills, Northridge and other parts of the Western San Fernando Valley. Smith is also a reserve officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. , who chairs a special committee examining ways to reduce Los Angeles' landfill dependency, said the investment could lead to greater returns because recycling generates revenue for Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . ``If we can effectuate ef·fec·tu·ate tr.v. ef·fec·tu·at·ed, ef·fec·tu·at·ing, ef·fec·tu·ates To bring about; effect. [Medieval Latin effectu huge changes in the way people recycle, that equates to huge dollar amounts for the city,'' he said. Dan Laidman, (213) 978-0390 dan.laidman(at)dailynews.com |
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