Houstonians only recycle 17 percent of their trash. This new city plan claims it will raise that number to 75 percent. But some environmentalists are trying their best to derail the project.
Protestors organized by the Texas Campaign for the Environment were trashing a new city recycling proposal Tuesday in front of City Hall. Inside protestors insisted to council members the one bin recycling plan is not good for the city.
"We want to impress upon the mayor and city council that if we go forward with the one bin for all proposal, that's tantamount to taking one step forward and two major big steps back in the wrong direction," said Melanie Scruggs with the Texas Campaign for the Environment.
The city's 'One Bin for All' is an ambitious project to bring together under one room all of the latest recycling technologies. And make a private company pay for it all by building a $100 million facility in exchange for the profits squeezed from the recyclable materials.
Opponents don't like the fact what's left over will be burned and instead they want the city to expand its current recycling program.
"We want to continue the One Bin that is full of recyclables, we don't want to put garbage in with it, because if you put your dinner on newspaper, that newspaper can no longer be recycled," said Art Browning with the Sierra Club.
But supporters say the plan will make Houston the leader in recycling and actually make our air cleaner.
"We shouldn't have to put more waste into the air just to bring our recycling to a facility, and One Bin would reduce truck trips and gas emissions," said One Bin supporter Melanie Pang.
So could this plan wind up costing Houston taxpayers? We'll have the full investigation tonight at 10pm.
And we want to hear what you think about the city possibly overhauling its recycling program. Join the conversation going on right now at the ABC13 Facebook page
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