The main discussion at Monday’s Amador County Administrative Committee meeting revolved around proposed revisions to the “Retail Take-It-Back” recycling program. “Take-It-Back” was originally implemented as a way for the public to return and ensure the safe and environmentally friendly disposal of hazardous household wastes, such as used batteries and fluorescent tubes, and to provide a “no cost” system for consumers upon return of these items. But rising costs associated with the project led officials to reevaluate its effectiveness considering the current budgetary challenges. Supervisors Ted Novelli and Richard Forster weighed the programs pros and cons in a roundtable discussion with several other county officials.

“Take-It-Back” was started in 2006 in response to changes in the federal government’s Universal Waste Regulations. Despite its success as far as public participation, stricter regulations and a steady depletion of public funding have made the program more difficult to maintain. Stricter regulations have been imposed on businesses to dispose of the materials on their own and without county assistance. “Primarily what we want to be very clear on is that these costs will continue to grow and continue to impact our budget and unfortunately we haven’t seen much in the way of funding from the state,” said one County spokesman. Another factor is business support. While businesses such as Ace Hardware in Pine Grove and Meeks in Martell volunteered as recycling stations when the program was introduced, major companies like Wal-Mart have yet to step up to the plate. Novelli cited the difficulty of dealing with one specific branch of a massive corporation. “A big company like Wal-Mart, they go through these tubes every night. What are they doing with them?” said Supervisor Forster. “I think it’s a really positive image for a big-box store in a small community to be a recycler,” said Kristin Bengyel, Deputy County Administrative Officer. In the end, the Administrative Committee recommended to enforce limitations on the amount waste stations could receive as a way to limit the burden on local business. Discussions will continue at a future Supervisors’ meeting.