Bradley’s Unfair Recycling Program

Less than a week after the election, Mayor Tom Bradley informed the citizens of Los Angeles that a mandatory trash recycling program will be instituted. The mayor then flew off to Asia to create more business and ultimately more trash for Los Angeles.

The mayor plans on dealing with the solid waste crisis by placing the greatest load on residents, while business recycling will be deferred. Was Mayor Bradley afraid that if he made his scheme public before the election he would be put out of office? If he is so proud of this solution to the trash problem, why did he wait until after the election to unveil it?

Recycling will require the use of three different containers: one for plastic, glass and cans; one for yard debris, and another for household garbage. Newspapers will have to be carefully stacked on top of the plastic, glass and can containers to be picked up.

As long as the city approves more downtown high-rises and enormous projects, such as Warner Ridge and Porter Ranch, it makes a mockery of residents’ efforts to reduce the waste stream. The recycling program is doomed to failure if the void is filled by more development. It is unrealistic to expect residents to undertake major recycling efforts while the city continues to dig itself deeper and deeper into a trash crisis.

Finally, there is no assurance that there will be a market for all of the recycled trash the city will collect. The price of many recycled materials has dropped, and some cities are finding it difficult to dispose of recycled trash. I am not against recycling, but if we are to do so, it must be done for the right reasons and shared equally by all who live and work in this city.

GERALD A. SILVER

Encino

Silver is president of Homeowners of Encino .