news-record.com

Now here is one way to get people to recycle: buy bins that will tattle on folks who don't recycle regularly.

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It would be a stretch to say that Big Brother will hang out in Clevelanders' trash cans, but the city plans to sort through curbside trash to make sure residents are recycling -- and fine them $100 if they don't.

The move is part of a high-tech collection system the city will roll out next year with new trash and recycling carts embedded with radio frequency identification chips and bar codes.

The chips will allow city workers to monitor how often residents roll carts to the curb for collection. If a chip show a recyclable cart hasn't been brought to the curb in weeks, a trash supervisor will sort through the trash for recyclables.

Recycling saves the city the $30 a ton dumping fee, and earns it $26 a ton. So the move is partially about the dollar sign. Perhaps Greensboro City Council should consider optimizing its recycling program too, while it considers its trash disposal options.

Read the whole story here.