By: Mike Matejka
On Tuesday, December 26, trash cans will be overflowing. There will be wrapping paper, Styrofoam packing, boxes and the other remainders of always American generous Christmas and holiday celebrating.
Where do we go with that trash? Some of the paper and boxes do get recycled, but much gets carted off to the McLean County landfill off West Oakland Avenue.
Here’s a bit of shocking news that many don’t realize – By Christmas 2018, the McLean County landfill will be closed. Maxed out. No more room for trash and debris.
So where is our garbage going to go? Will it be trucked up to that huge mountain a-forming off I-55 north of Pontiac? That means increased fees and expenses, as multiple trucks rotate back and forth from Bloomington-Normal to Pontiac. And those extra trucking expenses will mean only one thing – higher taxes to dispose of our garbage.
In January, McLean County, Bloomington and Normal’s elected officials will consider adopting a new comprehensive waste plan, developed over the next two years. How do we save tax money on garbage pick-up, tipping and transport? One answer is to use less. Another is to recycle.
The plan calls for more recycling; right now, single family homes in Bloomington and Normal enjoy curbside pick-up. It simply requires the home owner to throw trash in one can and paper, bottles and cardboard in another. Apartment complexes don’t have recycling, unless the landlord is super conscientious. From construction sites daily wallboard, lumber, brick and other material all ended up in the dump. Those wood trimmings and drywall pieces are all recyclable.
Some people have criticized this plan as over-reach, forcing people to recycle. It gets down to a question of how we want to pay. Do we want the expense of a truck fleet rotating between Bloomington-Normal and Pontiac on a monotonous, daily basis? Or do we make extra effort and recycle? A dumping site will still be required, but the more we recycle today, the less the tax bill tomorrow.
Mike Matejka is the Governmental Affairs director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council, covering 11,000 union Laborers in northern Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. He lives in Normal. He served on the Bloomington City Council for 18 years, is a past president of the McLean County Historical Society and Vice-President of the Illinois Labor History Society.
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