After one month, national attention and hundreds of complaints, the Raleigh City Council is prepared to toss a garbage disposal ban down the drain.

The council’s Budget and Economic Development Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to rescind the ordinance.  The full council votes next week.

City officials originally backed the ban because they said disposals waste water. Public works director Dale Crisp also said food scraps and other debris clog sewer lines, leading to overflows and expensive repairs.

But Tuesday Crisp admitted to committee members that was based on what crews saw in lines, not science. The disposal industry brought science to the hearing.
   
“Food particles don’t play a significant role in formation of blockages,” said Dr. Kevin Keener, a food science professor at Purdue University. “It comes down to fats and oils, which is from rinsing the dishware.”

The industry also brought in Kendall Christiansen, a member of the New York City water board. He told the committee New York encourages disposals because it keeps material out of landfills.

“The use of food waste disposers is the right thing to do with food scraps,” said Christiansen. “Disposal is good, and should remain part of the cities environment management program.”

Besides rescinding the ordinance, the committee directed the public works department to begin a new effort to educate the public about the dangers of oil and grease down the drain.

“I know more about this today,” said James West, a Raleigh City Councilman. “Without the information to make an informed decision, my earlier vote was a rush to judgement.”

Related Links

1. http://www.p2pays.org/ref%5C05/04281.pdf