NEWS
By Erik Nelson and Erik Nelson,Sun Staff Writer | June 18, 1995
Every day at work, Lamont Harris gets a firsthand look at why Howard County's trash-disposal problems are rapidly growing bigger and more expensive."If you go to one home, you might have two cans. If you go to the next house, they might have six cans," says Mr. Harris, who picks up trash for Waste Management Inc., one of the county's five private trash haulers. "If you pop the top off, you might see topsoil, grass and dirt. That weighs 80 pounds!"In officials' search for ways to alter such behavior, Howard has become the first county in the state to consider moving to a system of fees, perhaps $2 or $3 for each bag or can of trash, if approved by County Executive Charles I. Ecker and the County Council.
NEWS
June 21, 1992
The county commissioners have ordered private trash haulers to pick up recyclable materials from residential customers starting July 1. Except in some towns, however, residents are encouraged but not required to sort out recyclables -- newspapers, cardboard, glass, metal cans and some plastics.The immediate aim is to begin complying with state law, which requires counties to recycle a percentage of their solid waste. The commissioners also want to reduce the amount of refuse going into the landfills, thus deferring the cost of establishing new landfills.
NEWS
By Greg Tasker and Greg Tasker,Staff Writer | March 3, 1993
A citizens committee, appointed to advise whether Carroll should pursue countywide trash pickup, deadlocked on the issue yesterday.The Solid Waste Collection Study Committee voted 5-5 on recommending that the commissioners set up countywide trash collection to replace the current system, in which residents choose their own haulers. The 11th member was not present.Although the committee failed to reach a consensus, its members will outline the advantages and disadvantages of a countywide system in a report to the commissioners.
NEWS
By JEAN MARBELLA and JEAN MARBELLA,jean.marbella@baltsun.com | November 16, 2008
Ah, twice-a-week garbage collection. It was nice while it lasted - 55 years, apparently - but it's time to give up this municipal luxury. It's time to hold our noses and pry this one out of our cold, Hefty Cinch Sak'd fingers. As the city looks to slash spending - Mayor Sheila Dixon on Friday projected a $65 million gap in fiscal 2010 between what the city will take in and what it will spend to provide the current level of services - going from twice- to once-a-week garbage pickup is an idea whose time has come.
NEWS
By Dan Morse and Dan Morse,SUN STAFF | April 16, 1996
Howard County Executive Charles I. Ecker -- already proposing annual trash fees and stricter weekly trash pickup limits -- said yesterday that he wants to test an even more stringent "pay-by-the-pound" policy in a part of the county.Aimed at promoting recycling, the program, which would remain free to residents, has been tested in a handful of communities nationwide, national trash experts said yesterday.Pay-by-the-pound collection uses technology such as identification tags affixed to garbage bins that emit a radio frequency.
NEWS
By Alisa Samuels and Ed Heard and Alisa Samuels and Ed Heard,SUN STAFF | January 12, 1996
After days of plowing and clearing snow, Howard County road crews were gearing up yesterday to go another round against Old Man Winter of 1996."We'll be ready," said Public Works Director James M. Irvin, noting that his department had 110 pieces of equipment, 150 workers and about 30,000 tons of salt to cope with the 4 to 7 inches of snow predicted by the end of today.Yesterday's preparations came as the county struggled to get essential services such as mail delivery by the Postal Service and trash pickup back to normal this week.