JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — The Jefferson Parish Council voted no on a new recycling contract Wednesday.
Ramelli Waste says they would have issued 60,000 rolling carts for recycling with lids if it had passed.
They would have ordered those on Wednesday, and customers could have expected recycling to begin as early as next week.
Bi-monthly bills would have increased by about $10.
Council members say residents have reached out to them expressing their adamant about having a recycling service, while others told them they couldn't afford that additional charge.
"I'm not against recycling. But this program is proven not to be effective for $6 million a year, we're gonna recycle less than 1% of our waste stream. Let that sink in $6 million a year; 1% of our waste stream or less," Councilman Deano Bonano said at the meeting. "I just can't in good conscience impose this fee on our citizens. And so I'll be asking for a roll call vote because it's this is a slight against Ramelli. But I have to vote against this."
A few council members asked if they could look into a subscription service that residents can opt into if they're willing to pay for it, but the parish attorney said that process would involve requesting a new RFP. That process could take up to five months.
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