In 1987 NYS Congressman Hinchey made it clear how the garbage industry was dominated by organized crime. Each company was assigned an area of collection. Within each "turf" there was no competition! In Western Kent, the cost of garbage disposal was $40 and $50 a month with no collection of recyclables or bulk items. In '91 the Town of Carmel, aroused by the high cost of garbage disposal, began to call around for estimates from different companies. They received identical estimates! According to Press accounts, they talked to the same secretary when phoning each of the different companies.

In '96 NYC began to regulate its carting industry and cut their ties to organized crime. Westchester did the same in '98. Putnam did nothing. In Western Kent the little guys made their move. One carter offered prices below $30 a month. In '99 Tompkins Carting was doing two pick ups per week & recycling. This week, however, Tompkins sold out to AWD! His customers have been told that there will be only one pickup per week and recyclables every other week. The Pundits predict that AWD will shortly sell to one of the big, nation-wide Cartels. When this happens, we will have returned to our starting point. The garbage Cartels take profits from one area of the nation to drive out competition in another area. When the competition is starved out, they increase the price and use the profit to dominate another area.

It's the lack of recycling that irks us. Journal News Nov. 27, 1999; Joel Stashenko: "Last month in Amsterdam NY … the city's council voted to terminate its contract with its recycling hauler. Starting Jan. 1, Amsterdam residents must still separate recyclables from their trash, but city sanitation crews will simply start tossing the materials in with the garbage and take it all to a landfill. State Department of Environmental Conservation officials say that while the Amsterdam decision violates the spirit of the state 1988 Solid Waste Act, it doesn't break the law." Its hard to believe that progressive NYS has a law that requires home owners to separate their recyclables from their garbage but then allows the carter to mix them all back together again!

KEEP THE KRC ALIVE & WELL

We charge the average family far less than $20 a month. We don't mix recyclables and garbage. We recycle everything you put into our carts and more! We have contacts: with thrift shops, orchards, launderettes, & various community programs who take things like coat hangers, magazines, paper bags, plastic bags, toys, food, coupons, clothing, and furniture. Our free table recycles everything from books to old lawnmowers.

******** Your membership dues of $50 per year will keep recycling for real in the Town of Kent!!!

Jim Baker 225-7901