Berkeley’s Recycling Fee Could Backfire

The City of Berkeley is considering charging property owners for curbside recycling in an effort to close a large budget deficit, the Chron reports. As the paper previously noted, Berkeley trash collection revenues have declined in recent years in part because residents are recycling more. The city has traditionally charged homeowners by the size of their garbage cans, and because more residents have switched to smaller cans, Berkeley is taking in fewer collection fees. Nonetheless, a new recycling fee could backfire.