The Auburn City Council recently made a decision to stop picking up recycling from all Auburn residents starting this summer. I believe this decision was made without the proper information pertaining to recycling options for the city.

The Auburn Waste Management Committee was not invited to make a presentation on the different recycling methods (as discussed in previous city council meetings), and the council had information only from the city manager on which to base their decision.

It was a poor decision.

Fact: Currently, MMWAC has too much garbage in the summer to burn it all, and ends up paying to landfill it in Lewiston. Those costs would increase by not picking up recycling.

Fact: We pay a reduced rate of $29 a ton to burn trash at MMWAC.

The manager of MMWAC states that if the recycling rate increased and trash decreased, there would be room to take in trash from independent contractors at rates of up to $80 a ton. Canceling curbside recycling means losing that as a valuable revenue stream.

Fact: The cost we are getting for recyclables today is greater than it was last year, and the year before. I think Councilor Dan Herrick needs to check his facts.

Councilors need to think about the message they are sending the children in the Auburn schools — that it’s important to conserve resources and recycle at school, but the adults in Auburn don’t care about the future and the future of the planet.

Diana Iwaszkiewicz, Auburn


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