The city in Washington State, which has taught Britain a few lessons on recycling in the past decade, is seeking to extend its current goal of a 60% recycling rate to a 70% objective set for the year 2025.
The plan comes after a city council study that looked into the city's waste management needs since recycling rates declined since the 1990s peak to less than 38% in 2002. A ban on recyclable materials within residual waste bins is thought to have stopped the decline in recycling rates with a return to 1995 levels of around 44%.
In a plan yet to be formally approved by the city council, Seattle's Mayor wants to re-build the city's two aging transfer stations to help with the expected increase in recycling rates.
Extra effort
“Some of these new opportunities will require people to make an extra effort,” Mr Nickels said. “If we succeed, we can reach a recycling rate of about 70% by the year 2025. That would save more resources and eliminate millions of pounds of greenhouse gases.”
“Every pound we recycle reduces greenhouse gas emissions by two to three pounds,” the Seattle Mayor added.
Experts from Seattle, a city with a population of around half a million, assisted in the recycling boom in the UK over the last decade, including involvement in the establishment of WRAP, the Waste and Resources Action Programme, in 2000.
Within the new plan, the city's Mayor wants to see further research on certain products or materials which could be banned, such as plastic bags and Styrofoam, to cut waste.
Construction waste
A shake-up of demolition permits expected by the end of 2008 will see an increasing amount of construction waste re-used, reduced or recycled. City authorities are to explore possible incentives and disincentives to developers and contractors to accomplish waste reduction goals.
As well as upgrading the two waste transfer stations in South Park and Wallingford, Seattle's Mayor intends to develop a new transfer station in the south of the city to transfer waste to rail transport.
“The potential of new, reduced garbage rates could provide financial incentives to encourage businesses to enhance their recycling while they reduce the amount of waste going to landfills as well as their fees charged for pick-up,” said Council member Sally Clark. “Setting and reaching new recycling goals for food and construction wastes will help businesses save money on collection while creating new jobs and invigorating our economy.”
A vote on the recycling plan by the city council's environment, emergency management and utilities committee is expected on July 10.
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