A new ordinance could make Wilmington residents pay a little extra money for not recycling.
Mayor Dennis Williams’ administration is proposing an ordinance that would give every household a new, 65-gallon gray bin for garbage. But if residents have more trash than fits in that bin, they’ll have to buy special city-issued trash bags for $1 each and handle the rest.
The idea is to encourage recycling, says Alex Coppadge, a spokesman for the Mayor’s office.
"Residents are still only recycling about 20% of their trash, whereas we have a goal of trying to raise it to 25% and 30% in the long-term," she says.
Coppadge says that the alternative to recycling is expensive. Removing trash that goes straight to landfill can add up to a bill of over $2 million a year for the city.
"Versus recycling, which is free," she says. "For the city, it’s the cost."
During Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, residents won't have to pay for the $1 trash bags, to allow for the collection of extra holiday trash at no additional charge. The legislation will also amend the City’s special pick-up collection system to provide residential home-owners with one free special pick-up a year.
At their City Council meeting Thursday, members will begin their review of the legislation.