Garbage Collection as a Utility Charge

Hi Brenda,

In Strathcona County, we do not have a pay-as-you-throw program, but our regular waste collection services are charged separately from taxes.

Thanks,
Vanessa

Vanessa Higgins, C. Tech, CEPIT
Watershed Specialist
Strathcona County, Utilities
2001 Sherwood Drive
Sherwood Park, AB T8A 3W7
Phone: (780) 416-7296
Fax: (780) 464-0557
www.strathcona.ab.ca

Brenda,

In Illinois it is common to bill residents on their water bill for garbage/recycling services. Of the few communities that do bundle it as part of the municipal taxes, the argument in support goes something like, "it allows residents to declare the costs of service as part of their property taxes" or "its always been provided as a basic service, like street maintenance" We have had success bidding citywide contracts on the following basis: One contractor given all the residential units lowers prices One contractor reduces the amount of wear & tear on streets that having several contractors causes One contractor reduces litter and increases the overall appearance of streets, since an entire subdivision is collected on the same day rather than different days by different contractors. Regardless if you go to a take-all, modified volume-based or total volume-based, the residents should see a saving from their current costs if you have a number of contractors compete for the business.

Marta Keane,

Recycling Program Specialist
Will County Land Use - Waste Services
58 E. Clinton Street, Suite 500
Joliet, IL 60432
815-774-4343
[email protected]

City of Coquitlam BC we have a separate line item under the Utility bill along with water and sewer services. Seems to work quite well. Our next contract will likely have options to have a variety of sizes for garbage/recycling/yard trimmings containers with reflecting costs to residents (more of a pay as you throw). See City of Vancouver web site they have this system.

Debbie

Debbie Fleming
Recycling & Waste Reduction Officer
Engineering & Public Works
604-927-3520
[email protected]

I lived half of last year in Maastricht, the Netherlands, which is held up as a model for its municipal waste policies. The system there is that you have to buy special "red trash bags" (rode restzakken) and put them out on trash day. The cost of the bags funds the trash collection. They are 10.90 euro for 10 x 50-liter bags or about 15 euros for 20 x 25-liter bags. It's a nice, flexible system, since one week you might need only one bag and another week you could need 3. The bags are sold at grocery stores. Paying up front like that made you think about how much waste you were generating. They also have separate compost collection in green containers provided by the municipality. We did not pay for that, though it probably came out of our taxes. That was nice because it reduced the waste in the red sacks, but it was always pretty smelly at the collection points on trash day. For recyclable materials, they had fixed collection points around the city where you could drop off items at any time.

Dr. Rachel May

Director, Office of Environment and Society
Syracuse University and SUNY
College of Environmental Science and Forestry
431 Crouse-Hinds (CEPA)
Syracuse, NY 13244
315-443-9726
[email protected]
http://enspire.syr.edu

In Oxford County we pay $1.25 per bag (max 45lbs/bag) for disposal. Residents purchase "bag tags" and waste not properly tagged is not collected. The County also has an excellent recycling program. There is no cost to residents for pick up of recyclables. There are some issues with illegal dumping in the rural areas, but for the most part this is a very successful program. All residents in the County of Oxford receive weekly curbside collection. Municipal staff collects recycling in Woodstock and South West Oxford. The remaining portion of the County is contracted out to Waste Services Inc. All of the garbage collected across the County goes to the County of Oxford landfill. Tag Standards One Bag Tag is needed for: * Each bag, maximum size of 76 cm x 96 cm (30 in x 36 in) and maximum weight of 20 kg (44 lbs) * Each rigid container less than 128 litres in size with a maximum weight of 20 kg (44 lbs) * Each bundle of material no longer than 96 cm (36 in), securely bound with a maximum weight of 20 kg (44 lbs) Two Bag Tags needed for: * Large sized bags, "each larger than 76cm x 96cm (30"x36")". * Each rigid container between 129 and 240 litres in size and a maximum weight of 20 kg (44 lbs) Three Bag Tags needed for: * Each rigid container larger than 240 litres (Herby Curby) * Note: Herby Curby's cannot be used between December and March. For more info see http://www.county.oxford.on.ca/site/908/default.aspx

Jessica Happl, A. Sc. T.
DWQMS Coordinator County of Oxford
* [email protected] *