LETTER: Committee Supports New Trash Schedule

Letter to the Editor

Dear Sir or Madame,

We are writing, as the members of the Anne Arundel County Residential Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC), to express our support for the announcement, made recently by County Executive Leopold, that the County will be moving to once-weekly residential trash and  recycling curbside pickup beginning in June of this year.  We applaud this as an important step toward  increasing County residential recycling rates, preserving our precious landfill space, promoting cost savings, and protecting our environment.

Changing to once-weekly trash collection, with recycling pickup occurring on the same day, was the first recommendation the RAC made in the final report we released at the end of 2010.  Our report was issued after more than a year of research and deliberation.  In making this recommendation, we considered its potential effects, recognizing it would require some changes for households in the County.  We concluded that the outcomes would be overwhelmingly positive. 

These include:  increasing recycling rates, prolonging the life of the landfill, greater potential income from recyclables (which could offset future rate increases for households), less wear and tear on roads and less pollution as trucks travel the routes only once a week, and cost savings as collection trucks are used more efficiently.

The decision to move to once-weekly trash pickup will bring benefits to all our citizens that are both immediate and long-term.  We congratulate County Executive Leopold for enacting the RAC’s recommendation, and look forward to his continued leadership in this area.

Sincerely,

Joanna Bache Tobin, Ph.D., Chair

Kate Fritz, LEED Green Associate, Vice-Chair

Beth Behegan

C. Ann Chaffee

Becky Fredericks

Garry Holtzman

Colin Rand

Celeste Riddle

Richards Steinbock

Lauren Symmes

Susan Venter