OPPONENTS POOH-POOH DIAPER PLAN RECYCLING COSTLY, CRITICS SAY.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The City Council will consider Tuesday whether to approve a contract formally launching a state-of-the-art program to recycle the city's dirty diapers.

No other city in the nation recycles its residents' diapers, and critics - including Councilman Bob Kellar - say it is too risky for such a small city.

``This is an extensive, expensive program to operate,'' said Jill Fosselman, the city's environmental services manager. ``We've done our best to minimize the risk to the city.''

The contract nails down the city's obligations, and that of Knowaste, the local company that will run the program. The city will use a combination of state and local money to purchase the disposable diaper processor.

The contract includes a two-year warranty on the processor - and a provision that the company will buy it back from the city for $100,000 if it becomes inoperable.

After the pilot program is complete, the City Council will review the results and determine whether to roll out the program citywide. If the council decides to scrap the plan, Knowaste will buy the processor back for $100,000, unless the city can sell it for more.

If the plan is a success, city officials will have several issues to work out with its haulers, Santa Clarita/Blue Barrel Disposal Co. and Atlas Consolidated Services, Fosselman said.

During the pilot program, the haulers will pay $38 per ton to dump the diapers at the processor. But if the program is expanded citywide, that cost could skyrocket, Fosselman said.

``That's what happened in the three cities in Canada that tried the program, and why it ultimately failed,'' Fosselman said.

Also at issue will be the cost of new diaper-only bins for every house, Fosselman said.

The City Council has said it will not approve a residential rate increase in order to pay for the program. Karl McCarthy, general manager of Blue Barrel, said those costs could be significant.

In the contract, Knowaste also agrees to launch a $20,000 public education campaign to encourage residents to recycle their babies' diapers.

The company will also pay for lobbying efforts in Sacramento that will work to convince state lawmakers to fund a long-term subsidy of the program to handle the costs.

Fosselman said the council members would decide Tuesday whether to enter into the contract now, or wait several months for the completion of a council-ordered audit of the city's trash services.

Months of controversy, sparked by the City Council's decision more than a year ago not to open the city's trash franchise to bids from other companies and concerns that residents pay too much for trash service, prompted the audit after dividing the council members for the past five months.

Hunt Braly, an attorney for Knowaste said the diaper program was a separate issue from the trash franchise and should not be tied together.

The company is still looking for a location for the processor - which will be subject to city officials' approval. The pilot program won't begin until that happens, Fosselman said.

The company is in negotiations to put the processor in Burbank, Braly said.

Three neighborhoods have already been identified for the city's six- month pilot program. In the next two months, 500 to 750 households in east Newhall, Northbridge and the area next to Saugus High School will be surveyed.

During the pilot, each residence will get one 34-gallon diaper bin that will be collected once a week with other refuse.