Opinion: Explain the recycling sham

The city of St. Petersburg deceived the public about a curbside recycling program. For the past 10 years, residents in two neighborhoods went to the trouble of separating their newspapers and plastic bottles from the regular garbage. What the residents didn't know, however, is that the city was only pretending to recycle the material. The paper and plastic actually ended up in the county incinerator, along with the rest of the city's garbage.

Meanwhile, the city accepted a state grant every year to operate the recycling program. It even assigned an extra driver and truck to pick up the material, as though it were being handled differently. The wasteful charade was revealed only recently after the Department of Sanitation decided to end the program because the grant was being discontinued and the department faces a budget crunch.

An unsigned letter sent to participants in the so-called recycling program only compounded the deceit. It implies that the recycling center that once took the material had recently shut down, when it actually closed in 1992. The letter further insults residents' intelligence by suggesting that burning the paper and plastic to produce electricity is just as good as recycling. Incineration has its place in garbage disposal, but to suggest it is the equivalent of recycling is ludicrous.

Environmentally conscious residents who had dutifully sorted their garbage for years felt betrayed. "I just assumed it was going to a recycling plant," said Dennis Shea, who participated in the program.

Now the City Council is considering asking residents if they want real curbside recycling, at a cost of $2 to $5 a month per household. Why would residents believe the city this time? The truth is, the city has squandered its credibility on curbside recycling.

Rather than another recycling plan, what St. Petersburg residents need right now is an explanation of why the first one was a sham. An apology wouldn't hurt, either. The city didn't just fool its own citizens; it apparently took a state grant under fraudulent conditions. While the subterfuge wasn't concocted on Mayor Rick Baker's watch, he should take it upon himself to assure residents it won't happen again. It could be the only way to earn back the public's trust.

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