Two students addressed concern about Champaign’s current recycling program at the Champaign City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday evening.

Isaac Tan, senior in LAS, said that the Illinois Student Senate had called on the Council in December to implement curbside recycling at all residences. Currently, many apartments, Greek houses, private housing and other residences with more than four units do not have recycling pick-up. He addressed the Senate’s concern that students living in those residences have great difficulty finding ways to bring their recycling to facilities.

Tom Bruno, Councilman at-large, said he believed students could control the recycling issue themselves “with their wallets.”

“Students have said ‘I’m not going to rent an apartment without air conditioning’ or ‘I’m not going to rent an apartment without high-speed internet,'” Bruno said. “Why don’t students say they won’t live in an apartment that doesn’t offer recycling?”

Stephanie Baliga, junior in LAS, gave a summary of her eighty-page research project about recycling in Champaign that she has been working on for the past few years. She said her research shows that permanent taxpayers in Champaign are willing to pay more for a recycling program.

Council members Gina Jackson from District 1 and Michael La Due from District 2 both expressed interest in looking over the document in the future study session. City Manager Steve Carter said the date has not yet been set but that the session will be held in early summer.