Satisfied that residents have learned their lesson, Cleveland is preparing to resume giving citations to city residents who mix garbage with recycled plastic, paper, cardboard, glass bottles and metal cans in their curbside blue carts.
For the past two years, the city has issued courtesy warnings to recycling rule violators, as well as handing out information sheets containing the correct set-out procedures. But it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy after August 1, when the city will fine violators $100 for improper curbside waste and recycling.
“We are moving on to the next phase of ensuring this program’s success: compliance,” said Public Works Director Michael Cox in a prepared release. “Compliance is essential to our efforts to become a greener and cleaner Cleveland.”
Cleveland City Council declared a moratorium on the $100 citations in May 2016, after the city issued hundreds of fines to Cleveland residents for curbside trash violations, and dozens of them complained to their councilmen and councilwomen.
Council President Kevin Kelley blamed the rash of violations on confusion over curbside trash laws, and council called a truce until the city’s Division of Waste Collection had the opportunity to better educate residents about the restrictions.
“Education is a challenge, and we’ve been working at it a long time,” said Diane Bickett of the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, who appeared on WCPN-FM’s “The Sound of Ideas” on Wednesday.
Bickett told the radio listeners that she sympathizes with the task ahead for Cleveland. “Excess contamination is costing the city in terms of rejected loads at recycling plants, so they have to capture that money back,” Bickett said. “Sometimes, a punitive measure like a fine is the only thing people will respond to.”
Longtime Cleveland City Councilman Jay Westbrook, who retired in 2014 after 34 years of service, called the radio show to share his concerns.
“I’m fearful about the low participation rate in Cleveland and other cities,” Westbrook said, citing the 13.63 percent recycling participation rate in the city.
He agreed with Bickett that educating the public about recycling laws can be a difficult task, and that high rates of contamination in recyclables shows there is still work to do.
“If you start issuing fines before you have education that is going to discourage well-meaning people who may well participate, but who are just going to drop out after they start getting tickets and fines,” Westbrook said.
To read the full story, visit https://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2018/06/clevelanders_to_face_100_fines.html.