With the new management at the dump, new policies have been implemented that seem to discourage recycling.

For instance, if I were to bring two cans of trash and two cans of recycling to the dump, it would cost me $26. If I bring the same two cans of trash and the same two cans of recycling but elect to deposit the recycling into the trash container, it will only cost me $20.

Charging for recycling at all is a bad idea.

It is even worse now since the dump has changed the fee structure. The current minimum charge for trash is $20 whether you bring one can or four cans, as long as it is under 113 pounds. Recycling is charged at $3 per can.

To accumulate and store 113 pounds of trash is not something most of us wish to do.

When I commented at the dump that it is getting expensive I was told that I could save money by just putting my recycling into the trash and that is what a lot of people are doing. I feel like this is going backwards.

There are two solutions that I can see. One is to make recycling free again. The other is to reduce the minimum charge at the dump to reflect a smaller weight, perhaps $15 for 80 pounds.

Discouraging recycling is socially irresponsible.

Beth Spadafora/San Juan Island