More items to recycle … for a fee

Don’t tell anyone, but the city of Spokane allows residential garbage customers to recycle office paper, egg cartons, cereal boxes and other mixed paper at the curb.

But it will cost you $5.35 a month.

Spokane’s Recycling Coordinator Suzanne Tresko said the city has allowed residential customers to join the city’s commercial paper recycling route for a couple of years, but that she has been asked not to advertise the service.

Nothing, however, stops her from talking about the program with newspaper reporters.

“I can’t go out and put billboards up on it until they’re in a position to convert to a larger fleet,” Tresko said.

Tresko said it usually takes her a month to fill up her paper bin and says there’s nothing wrong with neighbors sharing a bin.

The program is only available inside the city of Spokane. Customers can order the service by calling 625-7878.

When asked about the program, Spokane Mayor Mary Verner said she was unaware of it. So was Councilman Richard Rush.

Rush saves his mixed paper and recycles it monthly at his church. He said he’ll consider signing up for the curbside program.

Jonathan Brunt