Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Enforce those laws

Seattle has proven again that we are tough on crime. No, we didn't get rid of the mis-management that tipped the balance stole the gubernatorial election in 2004, but we are going to make people pay for not recycling properly!

As of January 1, violations to the recycling ordnances will be refused pickup by the garbage handlers.

Recycling enforcement starts today
Seattle violators won't get garbage hauled away

Non-recyclers: It's time to either start sorting mail, milk cartons and frozen-food boxes, or build a high threshold for stinky garbage.

Beginning today, Seattle Public Utilities garbage handlers who eyeball obvious violations of the city's mandatory recycling ordinance will attach a note with a reminder to recycle. They won't open bags, but if they can tell just by looking into the can that there's more than 10 percent that could've been recycled, they'll tag it.

The garbage stays put until the recyclables get sorted out.

Seriously, now - how is this possibly going to work? Our garbage truck arrives at the house around 6:30am, typically. In the short days of winter, it is still dark outside. Even if you assumed that there is some tell-tale sign in the lumpiness of a garbage bag to indicate the contents, the bags are squashed into the provided plastic can - which is automatically picked up and dumped into the truck. No one is fondling the garbage bags to determine the contents!!

I want to know where they are getting the X-Ray vision glasses ... I want a pair.

H/T to Sharkansky at Sound Politics.

Linked to Castle Argghhh's H&I post.