Community Comments
Input from the public, businesses, and stakeholders on the Solid Waste Plan 2040 will be posted here throughout the planning process.
The City of Lincoln reserves the right to refuse to publish and to edit comments for clarity and brevity.
On February 11, 2013, Harold wrote:
I just became aware of Bio Char's potential value and lack of public awareness. Biochar has untapped benifits for horticulture as a soil additive, as well as a carbon sequestration method. Carbon does not decompose. LOOK IT UP!
On November 19, 2012, Susan wrote:
Within the Five Guiding Principals, the "overarching goad" of promoting waste PREVENTION is very important to me. We have many opportunities for recycling in Lincoln, but this needs to be coupled with incentives to reduce and reuse materials.
On November 16, 2012, Tim wrote:
As long as people have few financial incentives to cut back on their solid waste we will continue to have more problems on this issue than we need to. It seems with other states/cities charging per container/pound and their statistics, issues, comments and participation we could ease into this kind of program over the next year or two. Also, and we could begin this right away. We tried this once where the day before trash day we had recycling day with everything by the curb could be taken away and used by someone else. More and better pr in advance will help and after a few months it will continue to catch on.
On November 16, 2012, Rebecca wrote:
Mandatory recycling!! includes dividing waste for garbage pickup at all residences and businesses into glass, plastics, cans, newspapers, cardboard, and finally garbage, and then paying a substantial penalty fee for failure to divide recyclables from garbage as directed.
On November 15, 2012, anonymous wrote:
Hi. I'm just wondering if we could rethink trash collection requirements for the elderly in particular or for any of the single person households – we have many of those in Lincoln these days. In my jobs both in retail sales and in healthcare I do hear that that is a hardship especially for the older and elderly who live at home alone and rarely generate any trash. I know a long time ago, 25 years ago, I asked my trash haulers if we could stop my elderly neighbor's, and consolidate her trash with ours. She had one small lunch-sack size trash once every two weeks and yet had to pay for the full service and the trash hauler told us very soundly that if we did that they would sue us for theft of service, or sue her. That doesn't seem right; it seems irrational, it seems very harsh. It seems like with the change in living situations that we're having and more people staying at home in their elder years we should be able to accommodate that.
Also I would think that it would be nice to have some mandatory recycling; I'm seeing lots of furniture, lots of TVs, computer equipment, all going out to the curb. I recycle my things like that and there are plenty of people around Lincoln who will take them; some for free, some for a fee. And I think that rather than just every time we get new furniture or something, that we throw things out at the curb, is inappropriate. So perhaps we just need to start imposing a fee at the time of service or having people have to mandatorily dispose of those in a better fashion than just throwing everything just to the dump. We have eco-stores and places like that. So anyway, that's my concern. Thank you.
On November 15, 2012, Kendall wrote:
I feel that Lincoln has two great opportunities to reduce waste and make collection much more efficient. First, I suggest we adopt some method of "Pay-As-You-Throw", where collection fees are based on the amount of trash generated (volume or weight). This encourages waste reduction and recycling, and makes a fairer system than the one we currently have, where those who have a smaller waste stream are subsidizing those who make no effort to reduce. Second, I suggest we eliminate overlapping routes. My neighborhood sees an endless parade of trucks from different companies covering the same routes. One company/truck per area would be more efficient, as well as reduce noise, traffic and wear & tear on streets. I realize these suggestions go against the status quo, but the bottom line is their efficiency, fairness and results, beneficial to the majority of the public. Seems worth ruffling a few feathers to make this positive change.
On November 14, 2012, Richard wrote:
For reviewing the HDR Report it is obvious that Lincoln and its citizens MUST do a better job of reducing solid waste. Tipping fees need to increase substantially. Mandatory recycling of fiber and plastics must be instituted. The large amount of food waste must be composted with yard waste. More C & D waste must be diverted and recycled. With an increase in revenue from tipping fees. a concrete and masonry rubble processing plant should be investigated. Require all city paving projects to use a certain percentage of recycled C&D waste for paving. The primary goal of the SW plan should be to REDUCE the volume of solid waste entering the landfill, not just maintain a steady state.
On November 13, 2012, Karla L. wrote:
I would like to see data from other communities that have city recycling services. Their of recycling may be similar to current Lincoln rates due to a threshold of those who do recycle per their own initiative and those who just will not recycle because it is not of personal value to them. Also would be supportive of housing a site for household hazardous wastes. The said waste schedules are confusing though I realize this is our private company.
On November 13, 2012, Bradi wrote:
Recycling with garbage- incentives to waste companies that offer recycling with garbage pick up. One day a week pick up garbage, another for recycling. City contract with recycling companies. Partnership of garbage and recycling companies.
On September 10, 2012, Carrie wrote:
WasteCap Nebraska hosts bi-monthly Green Team Roundtable in Lincoln. Each Roundtable begins with a Circle question designed to generate conversation. As part of the August meeting the question posed to the team was "If there were one thing you could recommend be included, what would that be?" There were a number of different responses with the most prominent responses being: education, awareness, convenience, landfill bans on plastic bags and packaging, and incentives for recycling. A more detailed list can be found on http://www.wastecapne.org/greenteams/.
On August 8, 2012, Mary Anne wrote:
I think it is important to have curbside recycling at every home, this will make it easier for people to recycle. The city could be divided into areas for each of the existing recycling companies to service, similar to refuse service.
On July 10, 2012, Kurt wrote:
Hi, as the city plans forward, I would encourage the planning committee to engage in a deep conversation about the recycling program in Lincoln. What we have is a good start but the content and quantity of material going to the landfill is a shame. We need a curbside option with all trash carriers and we need a single stream recycling center. A town of well over 250,000 will absolutely need a better recycling program. I currently live in a large apartment complex..the residence throw EVERYTHING away because there are NO handy options. Recycling is best when it is convenient to do the process. Save tax dollars and the landfill by improving the recycling process in Lincoln. Please visit Omaha and see what they are doing to reduce volume of and kinds of trash filling their landfills.