Buckeye starts curbside recycling, 4-day workweek Monday

Buckeye on Monday will launch a pair of environmental initiatives.

As part of the "Buckeye Goes Green" program, the town will institute townwide curbside recycling and a four-day workweek.

The town ran a pilot recycling program in Tartesso. In just the first month, Allied Waste Services collected 9.4 tons of recyclables from about 900 homes, making it a success to officials. In all, Allied Waste will roll out more than 13,000 household recycling bins across the town.

The program comes at an added expense to most Buckeye residents. Monthly trash bills for most homes have increased by about $3.50. In Sun City Festival, the rates will drop 45 cents.

Public Works Department officials said that program will, over time, keep collection rates lower and make Buckeye's landfill last much longer.

On the same day, the town is launching its four-day workweek.

The Town Council unanimously approved the plan this month. It calls for most departments to be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and remain closed Friday.

Friday service will continue for curbside-recycling pickup, senior and social-service programs at the Buckeye Senior Center, recreational programs at the Dr. Saide Recreation Center, and at the Buckeye Public Library.

Essential police and fire service will remain unchanged, as will emergency-service calls.

Town management cited benefits for the town and its employees, such as increased morale, reduced absenteeism and higher productivity. The extended hours four days a week should help residents who need to do business with the town.

Buckeye expects about $42,000 in fuel and utility savings each year, according to a town study. The town will save about 670 barrels of oil each year and more than 500 tons of carbon emission annually.

"We must be good stewards of our environment," Mayor Jackie Meck said in a prepared statement. "It's important that we do that now, not just for our residents and their families, but for the generations of people who will call Buckeye home in the decades to come."