"The job we do is larger than we are and we must ensure that we plant the right
seeds, nurture and grow them beyond ourselves."
-- Mayor Bill White, Annual Mayor's Minister's Breakfast, 12.02.2008
Mayor, that's a quote you made at last year's minister's breakfast which is exactly
appropriate for this occasion. Reuse and Recycling are the seeds of the future and
directly impact the quality of life for future generations of Houstonians.
Solid Waste Management is a key function of city government along with police,
fire, parks and libraries. Citizens expect that their investment in solid waste
management is effectively and efficiently managed. This pilot program
accomplishes that. Diversion of more tons away from landfills preserves airspace
and saves taxpayer dollars. Solid Waste disposal costs have risen on average at
slightly more than $900,000 per year over the past several years. It would be poor
leadership on the part of the Solid Waste team to not develop and implement
"smart" programs to divert waste and control costs.
The 8 neighborhoods selected for this pilot are leading the way for what we expect
to be a city wide program within the next 5 years. Data collection will begin
immediately to determine neighborhood participation rates, average weights and
recyclables composition. There will be ongoing strong partnering with
neighborhood leaders to include education to increase participation rates.
The containers to be used for this program will hold 5.3 times more material than
our current 18 gallon bins. This is a huge advantage for participating households in
that they don't have to make extra trips to neighborhood schools, grocery stores or
city facilities to recycle.
Finally, I certainly want to thank you, Mayor, along with city council members and
Solid Waste Task Force Co-Chairs Controller Annise Parker and Lorne Bain, for
your leadership in getting the department and city to this point where we are doing
the job that is larger than we are, planting the right seeds, and nurturing and
growing them beyond ourselves.
Thank you.
Harry J. Hayes, Director
Solid Waste Management Department
