Boise residents now may pay for glass recycling

BOISE (AP) - Boise residents will have the option of signing up for curbside glass recycling for $9.95 a month.

The program planned to start this fall has Allied Waste picking up the glass.

The city is negotiating a contract with Environmental Abrasives to recycle the glass into a product used for sandblasting.

The plan calls for no money to exchange hands between the city and Environmental Abrasives.

Officials told the Idaho Statesman the contract should be ready by the end of June. Residents can start signing up Wednesday.

If a deal is not reached, city officials said they have other options that would include additional fees.

The city has been turning over the glass to the Ada County Highway District to use in road construction. But the district said there's more glass than it can use, and told the city last year it couldn't continue taking it.

The fee residents pay for curbside glass pickup will be used for the cost of collecting the glass and taking it to a collection point east of the Boise Airport.

City officials said 17 drop-off points will remain in place, though the number of containers at some locations could be reduced. Two college students are being paid to pick up broken glass around the sites.

Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com