At Last, KC Recycling Begins March 1

Rebekah A. Hall

Kansas City -- Kansas City has anounced it will be implementing its curbside recycling program, RecycleFirst, in 75 neighborhoods on March 1. By December 2004, the city expects to have every household setting out recyclable materials and working with a quasi-pay-as-you-throw system. Residents will be allotted two bags of refuse per week. Additional bags will require a tag that will cost $1 each.

The city spends approximately $8 million per year to dispose of trash for 145,000 households. With RecycleFirst, Kansas City hopes to reduce its trash volume by 25 percent, saving $1.7 million annually, which would pay for curbside collection every other week. Also, the city projects it will raise $100,000 in profit from selling extra bag tags and bins.