State-Ordered Recycling Plans Advancing in High Desert : Environment: Lancaster has begun issuing special trash cans to its 30,000 households. Palmdale City Council adopts a curbside plan.

The cities of Lancaster and Palmdale are moving the Antelope Valley toward recycling programs mandated by the state. As of this month, Lancaster’s program is in place and the Palmdale City Council adopted a plan last week.

When the 17,400 households in Palmdale will begin recycling is uncertain because of incomplete negotiations with the city’s primary trash hauler.

However, Lancaster began issuing recycling cans to its 30,000 households in August. Residents separate recyclable aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles, and newspapers from regular trash, placing them in 30-gallon cans and setting the cans at the curb on trash pickup day.

“We’re making strides in the right direction,” said Lancaster Public Works Director Jeff Long. Lancaster is developing educational programs to encourage residents to recycle more, he said.

Both cities are working to comply with the California Integrated Waste Management Act, which requires cities to divert at least 25 percent of all solid waste from landfills by 1995, and 50 percent by the year 2000. Recycling, composting and public education are among the measures suggested to achieve the goals.

Mike Mischel, Palmdale’s associate engineer, said the city will begin a curbside recycling program in the near future, although he is not certain when.

“We’re working on this immediately,” Mischel said. “We’re not sitting here twiddling our thumbs.”

Phil Arklin, president of Palmdale Disposal, which has an exclusive contract to haul trash from all Palmdale homes, has also requested the exclusive contract to haul the city’s commercial trash, which now goes to several competing companies. Arklin has said that if he is granted the contract, he will not increase residential customers’ rates for a year.

At a recent meeting, the council voted unanimously to enter into an exclusive commercial waste disposal agreement with Arklin, despite objections from four competing trash haulers who complained that they had no chance to bid for the business.

A city staff report estimates that the exclusive commercial franchise agreement would bring Arklin’s company about $99.7 million in gross revenue over 10 years.

Mayor William J. (Pete) Knight said he was aware that trash hauling contracts are “very lucrative,” but that the city’s primary concern is prompt compliance with the state law.