Rotary revives trash can program with new collection plan

The Rotary Club of Saipan is looking to revive its trash can program with a major change—making sure the garbage actually gets collected.

Former CNMI Supreme Court justice and Rotarian Perry Inos led the discussion on Project Trashcan during the club’s Sept. 22 meeting at Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, saying Rotary wants to improve on a program it undertook about 10 to 15 years ago.

Under the old model, Rotary obtained trash drums from the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. or other donors, placed Rotary stickers on them and distributed them at public parks, with the Division of Parks & Recreation expected to handle collection.

“I think it's time to upgrade that model,” Inos said.

This time, Inos said Rotary wants to enlist businesses to sponsor regular garbage collection instead of simply putting trash cans in public areas.

“There is a recommendation that we ask businesses to see if they can sponsor the collection of the trash from these bins, these containers that we would put them out instead of just buying the drums and leaving it there,” Inos said.

He floated the possibility of having businesses sponsor weekly collection from individual trash cans placed at public areas such as the skate park.

“We're looking at upgrading this model, getting a sponsor to collect the trash. Otherwise, anybody can just put a sticker on the drum and just leave it there. I don't know how long that will actually be useful,” Inos said.

Inos said the club’s task over the next 30 days is to seek sponsors for the program. Rotary members also discussed approaching garbage collection companies to see whether they could offer discounted rates if several trash cans were covered under one arrangement.

The Rotary Club has already submitted a request to CUC for 30 used drums that could potentially be used for the program.

Rotary Club of Saipan president Irene Nepomuceno-Holl pointed to the skate park as one area that could benefit from the program.

“The trash there is overwhelming. So there needs to be a trash can and there should be a system to collect the trash because I don't think they're doing it now,” Nepomuceno-Holl said.

The discussion came just days after Rotary participated in the International Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 19, when club members joined other volunteers in collecting trash.