Letter: Tests necessary to find best recycling method

Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006 | 7:11 a.m.

Regarding the Las Vegas Sun's Dec. 3 editorial, "Failing the smell test," it appears that you have again failed to get the point on recycling and merely bashed Republic Services. Although it may be popular to some of your readers, it does not advance the cause of increasing our recycling rate, which is somewhere in the dismal category.

I am a member of the Southern Nevada Recycling Advisory Committee, and the proposed plans for residential curbside recycling are test programs only. The participants will be volunteers. If a citizen does not wish to participate, he will not be required to do so.

One of the test programs is designed to enhance convenience by using one large recycling bin on wheels rather than three small stationary ones. This just might be helpful, especially for our seniors and physically challenged citizens.

At the end of the test programs, the data will be collected, audited and presented to the Clark County Commission. If any policy changes are considered by the commission, they will have to pass the "smell test" at that time. However, we will never know the pros and cons of different recycling methods unless we first test them. Why is this so difficult to support?

Finally, it is not solely the responsibility of Republic to increase the recycling rate. Republic can only collect what is put on the curb. Improving our recycling rate is the responsibility of each citizen of Clark County. What is the harm in testing different recycling options to see if we can do better in exercising this responsibility?

Rob Dorinson, Las Vegas