WEST BOUNTIFUL -- Mayor James Behunin urged citizens and members of the city council to come up with a better way to recycle in the city.

"We need to do something to make recycling a bigger priority in our city," he said. "I don't think we do enough as a city. We could do so much more."

Behunin posted on the city's Web site that Waste Management Corporation has offered to provide recycling services to each city within South Davis County for about $3.35 a month. But the price is only available if every household in the area paid the monthly charge, something a few citizens think isn't such a good idea.

"I've been sending things to the landfills since 1976," said Bob Cox, resident. "I've been a proponent of recycling all my life, but I don't see the point in spending three dollars when I can do it myself."

There are more posts on the Web site opposed to the idea of having the extra "blue recycling can" in order to deposit materials for recycling. One reads "have you seen the bins all over the streets when the wind comes up or the trucks tip them over? We simply drop off our other goods to the school down the street where the proceeds go to the school."

The post also stated that Greenfiber of Utah supplies the bins at no cost, and pay the school for the paper that is thrown in, making it a "win-win" for the schools as well as recycling efforts.

Most posts, however, approve of the idea of curbside recycling in the city. Comments include not having to travel to Bountiful or any other landfill to dump their recyclables, the payment of the $3 monthly charge not being an issue, and the positive output the city receives for its extra efforts towards recycling.

"Having lived in a city that had curbside recycling, I found it to be a great and convenient way to recycle," said Matt Smith on the Web site. "The $3.35 a month seems a very reasonable fee for the service provided."

Currently, Woods Cross is the only city in South Davis County to use the current program being offered from the waste management group. Because the measure from Waste Management is totally mandatory, Behunin is looking for other providers that offer an optional recycling program.

"Some citizens still prefer to do their own recycling," he said. "That's why I'm continuing to search for other ways to recycle in our city."

Another alternative, ac-cording to Behunin, is to find a central location where citizens of the city could bring materials for recycling. Available at the site would be separate trash bins, each a different color for different types of materials (paper, plastic, metal, etc.).

"However, if Woods Cross is having success, we should look into using the same service," said Behunin. "I will continue to look for other alternatives, but the offer from Waste Management Corp. is, at least, a good place to start."



sgillet@davisclipper.com