City looks into single-stream recycling

The city of Osceola is looking into changing the way garbage and recycling is collected.
There have been discussions between Waste Management and Osceola City Council regarding a possible contract extension and move to single-stream recycling.
 
Council member David Walkup spoke during a Sept. 12 Clarke County Development Corporation (CCDC) meeting and after a Sept. 18 city-council meeting about single-stream recycling, which he said he believes is going to happen.
 
"It's going to change the way we collect garbage, and the way we're going to be picking garbage up," he said.
 
Contract
 
The current contract with Waste Management states Waste Management can increase rates each year in accordance with the increase in the consumer-price index (CPI).
 
This year, that increase is calculated to be 27 cents per account.
 
There has been discussion to move to single-stream recycling, which would have an increase of 32 cents per account.
 
Waste Management is offering to waive the CPI increase of 27 cents this year in exchange for moving to single-stream recycling and the increase of 32 cents.
 
The move to single-stream recycling would extended the contract with Waste Management to five years and increase the rate from 27 cents to 32 cents.
 
Yellow lids
 
Walkup said, at his household, garbage that needs to be thrown away would go into garbage bins, and recyclables, such as excess papers, would go into recycle bins with a yellow lid.
 
Garbage bins would be picked up every week. Recycle bins would go out every two weeks, which is different than twice a month because some months have five weeks.
 
"We'll have a little card that you can put on your refrigerator so you know what's going on," Walkup said. "We're going to have to educate our people on how we're going to be doing things. It's been done at other communities. We're probably toward the end of that. We're not doing things like we should be doing. It's a whole new trend."
 
The recycle bins would eliminate the little, green recycle boxes that are placed on the curb to be picked up.
 
Savings costs
 
Walkup said, at his household, he would change to smaller garbage bins, which would actually save him on costs.
 
There will most likely be a 90-day transition period if single-stream recycling goes into effect, which could mean there won't be a $12 charge-fee for changes.
 
"The 32 cents would be an increase over the 27 cents, but because I go to the smaller receptacle I can cut my costs," Walkup said. "Right now, I have a bigger container, and I'm going to a smaller container, and the smaller container will be less than what I have right now. In essence, I'm going to be charged less than what I am right now. That is going to be the individual savings that I can do myself. I think most people in Osceola will be able to do that. I'm encouraging them all to look at it."
 
A public hearing on the issue is set for the Oct. 2 Osceola City Council meeting.
 
Walkup said he's hoping it is approved at the Oct. 16 city-council meeting.

"It's the right thing to do," he said.