Scott to resume curbside recycling

SCOTT — Curbside recycling will return here next month as the city begins a new garbage contract.

Scott lost recycling about six years ago because of costs, but twice-a-month service is scheduled to resume in July, when the city switches from waste hauler IESI to Allied Waste, Mayor Purvis Morrison said.

Morrison took office last year, and he said the lack of recycling was one the major complaints he heard on the campaign trail.

“That was one thing that people wanted to see,” Morrison said. “With everybody going green and with everybody trying to save the universe for their children, recycling is the way to go.”

Under the new contract that begins next month, residents will pay $19.50 a month for once-a-week garbage pickup and twice-a-month recycling service, the mayor said.

The monthly rate under the existing contract is $18.67 for once-a-week garbage pickup with no recycling, he said.

The mayor said had the city stayed with the old contract, a price-adjustment provision likely would have raised the monthly rate higher than the new contract with Allied Waste.

Lafayette, Broussard, Carencro and Youngsville all have curbside recycling programs.

Scott initially started recycling in the 1980s, one of the earliest municipalities in the area to do so.

Residents have had few recycling options after the city dropped curbside service in recent years.

Lafayette city-parish government had accepted recycling at a large bin in Scott Park, but that and other recycling drop-off bins were removed in 2009 and 2010 because of complaints about illegal dumping.