Single stream recycling plant shelved

AUSTIN (KXAN) - After $1 million and 20 percent of the work later, the City of Austin still does not have a solid plan for a Single Stream Recycling facility within city limits. The City of Austin unveiled its larger blue recycling bins last week with fanfare, showing Austin recyclers they do not have to sort their plastics and papers anymore. Still, at least one member of a commission designed to overview Austin's Solid Waste Services Department questions whether the city spent its money wisely in the plan to go single-stream.
"What did taxpayers get for their $1 million?," said Rick Cofer, a member of Austin's Solid Waste Advisory Commission. "Is what they got going to be useful?"
The city paid contractor R.W. Beck $1 million to start designing a single-stream recycling facility in Austin, but the city dropped plans during the August budget process, as funding for the site did not show up in the final budget. Meanwhile, the city has a contract with Vista Fibers to haul recyclable material to a single-stream facility San Antonio. The contract is revenue-generating.