Once-a-Week Collections Would Modernized System, Reduce Employee Injuries, Keep Costs Lower
ROCKVILLE, Md., December 19, 2006—The City of Rockville may be moving toward modernized systems of collecting refuse and recycling, but the Mayor and Council first want to hear from the public on the potential changes—including whether refuse collections should continue at twice a week or become once a week to control spiraling costs.
A public hearing on the proposed changes is scheduled for the Rockville Mayor and Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. at Rockville City Hall. [The meeting is on Tuesday instead of their regular Monday time slot due to the President’s Day holiday on Feb. 19.]. Any citizen wishing to express an opinion on the issue can do so during the public hearing.
On Dec. 11, following a presentation by the City’s Department of Public Works, the Mayor and Council discussed the need to make several changes to refuse and recycling collection, but they reached no final decision pending a public hearing.
The Mayor and Council heard final survey results from776 households that were part of a nine-month pilot program that started in March 2006. In that program, households were given rolling carts for trash and recycling. Exactly 358 households responded, with 95 percent rating collection quality either “excellent” or “good.” Among those responding, 93 percent were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the pilot program.
Citywide implementation of the pilot program was recommended by 82 percent of those responding. Only six percent said they would not recommend the program be expanded citywide. Of those responding, 11 percent expressed no opinion.
Staff recommended Citywide changes for a variety of reasons, including controlling costs, increasing recycling, improving neighborhood cleanliness, decreasing worker injuries and reducing miles traveled by collection vehicles.
Currently, households pay $31 a month for refuse and recycling collection (that fee also includes leaf, yard waste and oversized appliances pickups). If the current system was left unchanged, it is estimated that the cost per month by 2020 would almost double to about $61 per month.
If the changes are implemented, including semi-automated collection (in which refuse workers roll wheeled carts to a truck, then mechanical lifters empty the carts) and once a week collections, the cost by 2020 is estimated to be about $47 per month on average per household (rates under the proposed system would vary by the size of refuse container selected by the customer).
“It should be absolutely obvious that the current system is not sustainable,” said Mayor Larry Giammo.
Under the recommended changes, all households would receive wheeled carts for refuse and recycling. Four tiers of rates would be set, depending upon how much refuse a household generates. Carts as large as 96 gallons would cost an estimated $38.13 per month in the next fiscal year. The smallest cart (32 gallons) would cost about $26.13 per month.
For recycling, the recommended changes include going to a “single-stream” system with all basic recycling items—paper, cardboard, plastic, cans and glass—placed into a single cart without separating the items.
The pilot program, which used a “dual-stream” system that required paper items be separated from other items, still generated an increase in recycled materials. Of items collected during the trial, 43 percent were designated for recycling. The citywide average is about 35 percent. It is believed the “single-stream” system would increase recycling by an amount even greater than the pilot achieved.
For more information about the Rockville Refuse and Recycling Program, call the City’s Department of Public Works at 240-314-8500
# # # #
