With only 9 percent of American Fork residences using the voluntary recycling service, American Fork officials are mulling over ways to increase the numbers -- including making it mandatory.

At the beginning of February, the city mailed recycling tips and information to residents to encourage them to subscribe to the program. But that might not be enough to buoy the program.

Mayor Heber Thompson said the city is exploring its options, including making the program mandatory, although city officials say that is probably not going to happen.

"It is wide open," Thompson said. "One option would be to make it mandatory. We would have to have extensive analysis and justification for doing that, however."

Gordon Raymond, municipal sales representative for Allied Waste, which collects the recyclables, said mandatory programs often work the best.

"The most successful programs in the state are mandatory," he said. "We would encourage it, but it falls back on the city whether they are going to commit to a recycling program. One positive thing about it being mandatory is that it reduces the rate for everybody."

Approximately 575 homes participate in the program now. In January 2006, there were 457 participants. While the number of homes recycling is increasing, it isn't increasing fast enough.

"Obviously adding 100 homes out of 6,000 homes is minimal," Raymond said. He explained the reason the participation rate is important.

"The No. 1 thing is that the low volume of material makes it less cost effective," he said. "If we have to drive a street to pick up one can it is less efficient than if we were picking up three or four."

He said no decisions had been made.

"Nothing is set in stone," he said. "One thing we have to go look at doing is raising the rates. It will probably make the cost of recycling go up a little bit. That will probably be for all cities. It might be a little higher in American Fork."

Thompson urged the residents to let the city know what they think about the service.

"We would welcome any input from citizens on the service and the value and what they think about the program," he said. "It is a concern that we have that we seem to fall well below other communities' participation."

Lindon, Highland and Saratoga Springs have recycling programs with Allied Waste. Raymond said their participation rates vary from 15 percent to 30 percent.

Thompson said the city's original decision to participate in recycling was based in part on requests from residents.

"We originally entered into this as an extended service to the city businesses doing our part to protect the environment," he said. "We will look at those reasons for getting into it originally and determine how we wish to proceed."

"There are plenty of reasons we originally got into the service," Thompson said. "I presume those reasons are still valid."

Raymond said Allied Waste was willing to provide the service.

"We are committed to recycling and proud to serve American Fork, but want to come up with a solution that makes it a successful program," he said.

Acceptable items for recycling:

Newspaper

Magazines

Glossy ads (paper clips and staples OK)

Telephone books

Plastic containers #1-7

Tin cans

Aluminum cans

Corrugated cardboard

Cereal boxes

Tissue boxes

Metal Hangers

Paper towel/toilet paper rolls

Junk mail

Small appliances

Office paper

Wrapping paper

Unacceptable items:

Glass

Styrofoam

Food and liquids

Green waste

Dirt or rocks

Large appliances

Plastics not labeled 1-7

Plastic grocery bags

Aerosol cans, paint cans

Motor oil, car batteries

Light bulbs

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.