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In article ,
says...
In message , Andy Hall writes
On 2006-12-15 21:45:44 +0000, John Beardmore said:
In message .com,
writes

Heh. Who will do that? Private entrepreneurs with a good deal more
business sense have no access into the market or the LA. In a freer
market everyone that thought they could solve the problem could try to
do so, and the succeeders would and take over from the failers.
But you dont want that. I do.
I've nothing against a little 'evolution in action', but I'd hate to
create short termist, hire and fire, 'quarterly profits' culture that
was focussed on minimal cost, minimal provision, and minimum
environmental standards.

So would I. It should be based on these principles:

- short, medium and long term recognising that if the short term isn't
done properly, there will be no long term

- staffing levels to match the level of business. This inevitably
means hiring people when business is good and letting them go when it's
not.

Or at least redeploying them.

Though again, this assumes that LAs are a business. Seems to me that
the number of bins needing to be emptied will be the same in good times
and bad, even if the volume of waste falls.

It can depend on the method of transfer.

My city has this deal...

Recycling - Certain materials (junk newspapers, beer cans, etc)
are picked up for "free" each week. An official bin is offered
for $10, but some people just put stuff out in supermarket bags
next to their neighbour's bins. My vague understanding is that
there is an exchange with the collection company. They don't
charge the city for pickup, but they take all profits from
selling the stuff to recycling facilities.

Official City Coucil Rubbish Bags - Put in whatever you want,
within safety limits. You must use the Coucil's distinctive
printed yellow bags, which are sold at supermarkets and dairies.
They cost more than plain plastic bags, because their price
contributes to the budget for rubbish collection and tip (dump)
costs. There is apparently an additional line item on the yearly
rates (property tax based on percentage of house/flat value.)

There is also an experimental business compost program. They
charge less for pickup, but they require sorting. Good for a
supermarket.

There is also at least one private company picking up
wheelie-bins. Those may contain biodegradable scraps or regular
rubbish. I don't need one, so I don't know the options.

There is a local company (not gubmint-owned) that apparently
receives the city's biodegradable's (including some material from
the sewage plant), and which sells lawn/garden compost,
fertiliser, etc.

Anyway, you say:

the number of bins needing to be emptied will be the
same in good times and bad, even if the volume of
waste falls.

In my area/system, I can influence this:

Filter my recyclable to my "free"-pickup bin.

Reduce my rubbish volume, so that my use of Council bags is less
frequent. Personally, I might only fill four a year.

This also involves directing my biodegradables to my own garden.
Compost for me, and I can't participate in the business program,
anyway.

In hard times (socially or personally) I might resort to a small
once-a-month bag of rubbish (can't recycle or compost) stuffed
into to the nearest public bin. The kind that is there to reduce
litter. Maybe 100-litres. And emptied by the city. And I might
justify that by saying, "My tax dollars paid for it already."
And my city of a half-million apparently only has one cop
assigned to enforcing that particular no-dumping rule.

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