Mayor proposes ending curbside recycling in budget; council debates costs, messaging and self‑hauling analysis

The mayor proposed eliminating curbside recycling in the coming budget and asked the council to consider using regional collection points for aluminum, paper and cardboard instead.

That proposal is part of the draft budget the mayor presented to the Riverton City Council during its May work session; staff told the council state law and the city’s contract with Waste Management require six months’ notice to discontinue curbside recycling. The mayor said household recycling represents roughly 8% of annual collected weight and that contamination cuts the amount actually recycled to about 6–7% of total pickup.

The discussion matters because recycling is currently subsidized from the general fund and the city is weighing whether to raise sanitation fees, continue curbside service, or end curbside recycling and direct limited resources to regional drop‑off sites. Mayor: "That's why I'm…