Recycling

A beverage-container recycling site in a shopping center about half a mile from the Civic Center has become a point of contention. At issue is a container-collection site near the Ralphs grocery store at La Palma Avenue and Walker Street. Critics of the recycling center, including Mayor Duane Schuster and city officials, charge that the collection bins are an eyesore.

About 500 residents will be hauling their aluminum cans, plastic, paper and cardboard products to the curb on Tuesdays as part of a voluntary recycling program launched by citizens to bring curbside recycling to El Segundo. As part of the program, residents will pay Zakaroff Recycling Services, the city's trash hauler, $6 per month to cart away their recyclables each week.

Hard lessons for CSU Re "New low in higher education," Column, Nov. 30, and "Cal State cuts felt on many levels," Nov. 29 Soon I no longer will teach in the philosophy department at Cal State East Bay because of budget cuts. I am a product of the educational system of the state of California in its heyday, when California was No. 1. Whatever the schools needed, then-Gov. Pat Brown provided. High school diploma, undergraduate degree, doctoral degree (with fellowships and teaching assistantships all the way)

South Gate has extended a year-old moratorium on recycling centers so that city officials can decide how to regulate such facilities. No recycling businesses will be eligible for a city business permit for at least another year while planners work out a set of guidelines intended to safeguard the appearance of property along the city's main thoroughfares. "The city has not taken a position that [it is] against these types of uses," senior planner Karen Bell said.

The city's elementary school students are seeing firsthand how recycling benefits the community through a program that turns empty soda containers into picnic tables. Kids CARE (Civic Awareness and Recycling Education), a city-run program funded by the state Department of Conservation, aims to raise youngsters' awareness of the environment.

Household recycling has more than doubled since a program began in September that allows residents to mix their trash in one container rather than separate it, city officials say. The first statistics available since the new system was implemented show that citywide recycling has increased to 40% in November from 18% in August, city administrator JoAnn Corey said. "We are really pleased," she said. "We hadn't even thought of these kind of numbers. The response . . . has surprised even us."

The latest inaction of the Port Hueneme Council ("Port Hueneme Refuses to Establish Curbside Recycling Program," March 9) is a recreation of the old joke "everyone is out of step except Johnny." Our brilliant city manager Richard Velthoen says, "But there's a growing valid concern about the cost-effectiveness and the real need for recycling." Does he know something that nine other city managers do not know? Come off it, Richard. Our landfills are filling up fast. That's what really counts.

Nearly every beverage can and bottle sold in California is now worth a penny. Consumers won't be able to collect the refund until Oct. 1, but from now on distributors of beer and carbonated soft drinks must pay the state a cent for every container they sell. And distributors must make sure their containers bear the label "CA redemption value." Only cans and bottles with the label will be eligible for refunds.

Richard Deight thinks recycling is not a moral obligation for Americans (letter, July 3). I could not disagree more. As we Americans throw away obsolete computers, TVs and other electronic appliances we are pouring tons of toxic electronic waste into landfills and/or exporting it to developing countries where workers earn $1.50 per day for dismantling and processing the materials--with no environmental safeguards. Consumer electronics already constitute 40% to 70% of heavy metals, including mercury and cadmium, found in landfills, putting ground water at risk of toxic pollution.