The city of Lawrence, Kan., has begun seeking businesses to participate in a commercial single stream recycling pilot program. The city needs 30 participants to launch the program, and so far, five have signed up.

The city currently offers a single stream residential recycling program in which residents are charged a small fee regardless if they participate or not. The program would cost downtown business $130 per month for pickup six days a week. Businesses in the South Lawrence area would be charged $44 per month for pickup twice a week.

Lawrence Journal-World has more information:

Thirty businesses need to sign up to launch the pilot, which is available in south Lawrence and downtown and costs either $44 or $130 per month. So far, Solid Waste Division Manager Kathy Richardson said that five businesses have signed up.

The city sent out letters to businesses in the two pilot areas one month ago, and Richardson said the city sent out additional promotional postcards about two weeks ago. The deadline for signing up is March 30, and Richardson said it’s too soon to say what the interest level is and whether the city will meet the minimum requirement of 30 participants, which represent 8 percent of the businesses.

“We won't know until the end of March,” Richardson said. “There is definitely a lot of questions and interest in the program, I can tell you that, but we won’t know for sure if we’re going to meet that 8 percent until we get closer to the deadline.”

Read the full story here.