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Recycling for Naples businesses no longer an option — it’s now the law
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For Naples business owners, going green isn’t a suggestion, it’s the law.
Naples City Council on Wednesday voted 6-1 in favor of a citywide mandatory commercial recycling program. Local business owners have until October to comply with the law, after which time they could face fines.
Councilwoman Teresa Heitmann cast the dissenting vote. Heitmann’s Ninth Street North office building is part of a case study to determine whether commercial recycling is feasible for small business owners.
“I was one of the lucky test people,” Heitmann said. “And I have had no communication about how the program is working and how we will enforce (it).”
Heitmann on Wednesday said she was concerned about the amount of traffic in the alleys, where recycling bins would be placed, and how the city will handle any loss in revenues it experiences because of the new program.
“It sounds like in the (type of) commercial area we have, it would be quite chaotic,” she said.
The city will not provide recycling services. Instead, business owners will be responsible for hiring a contractor to handle services. And while all businesses, regardless of size, would be required to participate in the program, acting Public Works Director Bob Middleton has said some businesses would receive exemptions if they don’t generate a lot of recyclables.
Last month, city staff looked at whether recycling was feasible at two multi-tenant downtown buildings. The study, published last month, showed that the two buildings — one of which is owned by Heitmann — produced enough recyclable materials to move forward.
The study of Heitmann’s building, 198 Ninth St. N., projected that recycling would not only save money but also reduce the amount of garbage collected each week. That reduction could mean a savings of about $107 each billing cycle.
Staff also conducted a study at 1020 Eighth Ave. S., where Councilwoman Penny Taylor has an office, which showed there was enough material to justify recycling. Implementing a mandatory recycling program at the site would cut down garbage pickup, and save about $108 each billing cycle.
Middleton said he expects recycling costs to be about $70 each billing cycle.
“We heard testimony this morning about being green, and this is one step toward that goal,” Taylor said. “(Recycling) is a breeze, I fill up that box. It’s so easy, it’s so clean. It’s wonderful.”
While Councilman Bill Willkomm said he supported the program, he said he was concerned with making businesses create enclosures for the recycling bins. The city has a law that requires any bins that are lifted mechanically to be enclosed.
The decision to implement such a program comes four years after Collier County government created a similar program for the unincorporated area.
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Comments
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Will the $107 saving be taken off the current garbage bill? I doubt it. Take the green path blazed by algore, throw it in someone elses dumpster.
#1 Posted by swampbuggy on May 7, 2008 at 5:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Recycling is a great idea and should be encouraged but I don't know that I like the idea of forcing it by law.
#2 Posted by pauls on May 7, 2008 at 11:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This should of been done years ago. Thank you, Naples for being so.....
........quick.
#3 Posted by volochine on May 8, 2008 at 2:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow,the LAW? It's not even an option to do it where I live!THey recycle stuff,(!),by throwing it in the ditch/creeks and hoping someday it will decompose and go back to its' natural state,I guess!
#4 Posted by cowgirl on May 8, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Should be law that everybody has to. Wouldn't change how I live.
#5 Posted by SpeakingMyMind on May 8, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Recycling is a great method of preserving the Earth and reusing materials, but law enforcement shouldn't make it too serious if, in the future, they discover people breaking this policy. I am glad that this is the law, now. I just hope that people will know the importance of recycling, and not just think of it as a nuisance of a task.
#6 Posted by Immokoman on May 8, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i respect the city's decision to go green, but at the businesses' expense? I don't even know the name of a business that would be responsible for the pick-up. Question: since my dumpster is enclosed, where do i put the recyclables? Do i need to design another enclosure, get it approved by the city, then pay for its construction? On what land? I can't build anything more without violating code! LMFAO
City Council has NO BRAIN - that's obvious!
#7 Posted by SHIFTT on May 8, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
With all the re-cycling residents are required to do I can not for the life of me understand why a single WhackArnorlds or similar fast food joint is not forced to re-cycle.
What they throw into the eco-mess in a single day complete offsets what residents do for a month.
#8 Posted by YearRoundResident on May 8, 2008 at 5:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great start, finally. Now, if we can just force construction companies operating here to do the same thing it'd be a wonderful thing. Have you seen the construction dumpsters full of plastics and other materials that end up in the landfill?
#9 Posted by almasonlybar on May 8, 2008 at 5:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think that this should of been in force YEARS ago.
But, I also agree with Teresa Heitmann, where are the containers going to be placed?
Some restaurants and clubs simply do not have room for them. Others do, and with the economy the way it is, this will hurt the small Mom and Pop businesses, and make room for "private" brother-in-law type trash contractors to cash in.
It's a double edged sword.
#10 Posted by Opinionated on May 8, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Like many Governmental programs, its a great idea on paper. Key statement there: on paper. The execution of the plan, and the unintended consequences will be the killer.
Currently, some places don't have the room to have another dumpster enclosure installed, and even more don't have the money to support a constant collection by a private firm. If the City of Naples is so dead set on recycling, they should be the ones to pay for it, after all it's their brilliant idea.
If I remember correctly, the generaly accepted idea is that it's the government's responsibility to take care of these sort of things?
#11 Posted by Spetsnaz on May 9, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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