Editorial: Recycling in region is a joke

Thursday, March 15, 2001 | 10:06 a.m.

State environmental protection officials and the Clark County Health Department held a joint forum Tuesday to talk about how to improve the county's dismal track record on recycling. In an indication of how much elected officials care about this issue, not one county commissioner or council member from any of the region's cities bothered to show up for the gathering, despite invitations to be there. So much for these officials showing any leadership on recycling, which promotes conservation and helps the environment.

For the nearly 100 who did attend, though, they shared some common-sense ideas about ways to improve the region's recycling rate, one of the nation's worst. One obvious problem is that the current program run by Republic Services of Southern Nevada is limited. For instance, as the Sun's Steve Kanigher reported Tuesday, there aren't many incentives for businesses to participate. And while the program includes residential homes, it doesn't cover most multi-family dwellings, which is a lost opportunity since nearly 4 out of 10 Clark County residents live in apartments, condominiums or townhouses.

While elected officials certainly could do more to promote recycling, anyone walking or driving around the valley can see trash strewn about virtually everywhere. In other words, if so many residents don't care if they toss garbage out the windows of their vehicles, then they're not likely to be candidates for recycling. It probably is easy for all involved to toss in the towel, but to continue down the current path would be a disgrace. The fact that last year the county recycled just 8.3 percent of its residential and commercial waste is a joke, especially when a 1991 state law set a goal of 25 percent compliance.

One suggestion offered at the conference that could help would be establishing a coordinator for recycling programs, just as is done in Washoe County and in state government. Educating the public is critical to let people understand the importance of the issue. But in order for that to happen, it would require that local leaders actually give a "recycling czar" a green light to promote recycling and the authority to cajole local governments, the garbage company, apartment complexes and others to find ways to increase recycling. It is hoped that Tuesday's no-shows of elected officials just might embarrass them enough to finally do something about the terrible state of recycling in the valley.