Inbox Curbside Collection, Orwell Style: Earth911.com posted an interesting item today about the use of radio frequency identification tags in recycling bins -- and, more to the point, about the trend toward using the chips not just to monitor how full bins are but for punitive purposes -- i.e., to enforce fines for people who arenīt complying with recycling laws.

 

One city that just announced it will be launching such a program soon is Cleveland, Ohio -- just down the street from where I live. Residents there are raising a stink about the plan, dubbing it "Garbage Gestapo" among other choice epithets.

 

Cut Here, Add There: Count Sarasota, Fla., among the cities cutting back on trash pickups while expanding recycling.

 

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that the city is cutting the frequency of garbage collections from twice a week to just once a week. At the same time, Sarasota recently negotiated a new recycling contract with Waste Management that includes plastics No. 1 through 7.

 

Sarasota officials project that the city will triple the amount of plastics it collects, and that it will earn $50,000 to $100,000 annually on recycables as a result of the recycling changes, and the cutback in trash pickups will produce savings of $3 million over the next 10 years.

 

Also, residential trash bills will be reduced $3 a month. We doubt anyone will raise a stink about that.

 

Pete Fehrenbach is managing editor of Waste & Recycling News. Past installments of this column are collected in the Inbox archive.