joconnell@journalnet.com

POCATELLO - As the commodity prices of recyclables continue to drop in a slowing economy, the city's sanitation superintendent is growing increasingly concerned about the outlook for a planned municipal curbside recycling service.

On April 1, the city plans to start offering a voluntary curbside recycling program to residents for an extra $5 per month. The city hopes the program will be successful enough to eventually become part of its standard service.

The city now contracts with Western Recycling, 3757 N. Old Highway 91, to accept recyclables from its municipal drop-off locations. Western also agreed to accept materials from the new curbside service.

But Sanitation Superintendent Randy Allen noted that prices for recyclables have dipped so low it's becoming less attractive for companies to deal with them.

Western officials could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon, but Allen said they're still on board with the program.

"That's something we're really struggling with lately is the economy. The recycling markets are just falling apart," Allen said. "Everything is just so strange right now. It's just a fine line that I'm walking and we're nervous.

"Every trade magazine I see the headline is, 'Recycling commodities are struggling.'"

Allen said the city is also having difficulty finding a market for the electronic waste it recycles, including computers and monitors.

Complicating matters for the curbside service, registrations have also tapered off.

The city has set a goal of starting the program with between 2,000 and 2,500 customers. As of Thursday, Allen said 950 people had signed up.

"It was going really well, and it's died," Allen said. "I don't know if it's just the season or if it's the economy."

Provided there's a market for the materials, Allen said the city will likely start the program even if it doesn't reach the registration goal.

"I'm hoping if we don't achieve this 2,000 goal, people will see their neighbor with this blue cart and say, 'Where did you get that?' I don't want to defer the program because of that," Allen said.

Allen said the city opted to delay heavily publicizing the program until after the holidays and will now make a more concerted push.

Today, for example, the city's recycling coordinator, Debbie Brady, will staff a table at the Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce's general membership meeting to educate the public about the curbside service and to take new registrations.

The chamber meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Red Lion Hotel, 1555 Pocatello Creek Road.

Brady will also accept applications at the Community Environmental Fair, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 25 in Optimist Park. The theme will be "The Green Generation, Earth Day Every Day."

"I have a letter going out to all of the community civic organizations (about curbside recycling). I just spoke to the Pocatello Neighborhood Watch Executive Board today," Brady said. "We're looking at different ways to encourage people, and I think it's just educating (them)."