CARBONDALE - Blue boxes will soon have some company on the curb as the city of Carbondale is set to expand its recycling efforts to include all paper products in early 2009.

City Manager Allen Gill said Monday the color of the new paper-exclusive recycling boxes has not been decided and city staff has not determined a date for implementation of the expanded program.

Newspaper is currently the only paper product eligible for city recycling, but a $60,000 federal grant is helping the city to purchase a new truck and some of the equipment needed to expand its program to include mixed and colored paper, like cereal boxes and cardboard.

"Just about any paper somebody wants to put out there, they (recycling collectors) will take," said Gill. "It will take some time to order the boxes and the truck."

In its FY 2009 budget, the city raised its monthly recycling fee from $1.25 to $1.50, an increase which will also help fund the expanded program, said Gill.

Further, Gill said the expansion will coincide with the hiring of an additional staff person. The hiring won't likely happen until the truck, boxes and equipment are purchased and ready, he said.

"I don't know that we've got a target date for implementation," he said. "But we wouldn't hire someone until that is all in place."

Gill said the current plans do not include a move to offer recycling to apartments and multi-unit developments.

City Council member Lance Jack said that's something he'd like to see changed.

"Ideally, as a next step, it would be nice to find a way to expand to the multi-unit developments," he said. "I think it's something we (city council members) need to look at more and get a better idea of what it would cost to expand to those."

As for what color the new box might be, Jack said he had no idea what would be decided upon.

"I haven't checked my swatches yet," he joked.

blackwell.thomas@thesouthern.com / 351-5823