2013-01-22_PWETC_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

the amount of garbage they produce. Their system includes garbage, recycling and organics collection. However the fee is based solely on the size of a resident's garbage cart. If residents make full use of their recycling and organics collection they can decrease the size of their garbage cart and save money. In the last couple of years 50% of Hutchinson residents have either de- creased the size of their garbage cart or switched to less expensive every other week collection. However switching to organized collection can be politically difficult. According to a 2001 -2002 Ramsey County study on organized collection the public supported the County's environmental goals but did not see how organized collection would help the County reach those goals. Slightly more than half of those who responded to the County's study opposed organized collection. Their five most frequently stated reasons the public gave for opposing it were: ® A desire to maintain choice of hauler ® Opposition to government involvement in collection ® Concern about quality of service ® Concern that costs would go up in an organized collection system ® Concern with the effect on competition, particularly on small haulers Additionally garbage haulers are opposed to organized collection. At the Committee's focus group with haulers, small haulers said they oppose organized collection because they fear they would be unable to compete for a contract with large haulers and would thus lose customers. Large haulers said they oppose organized collection because if small haulers are forced out of business they could reach a quasi monopoly status that would bring increased government regula- tion. Haulers, mostly larger firms, retained a public relations firm and conducted a very active cam- paign against Ramsey County's 2001 -2002 investigation of organized collection. Ramsey County cited this opposition as a major reason for pursuing a different option for managing waste. It will work with garbage haulers on a voluntary system to try and meet the County's goals while reserving the right to re- examine organized collection if the voluntary system does not meet the goals. Options Considered: All to include increased educational campaigns to alert residents to the environmental and financial aspects of waste management. 1) Preserve Roseville's open collection system. Monitor Ramsey County's voluntary system to see if it will meet City, County and State environmental goals. 2) Preserve Roseville's open collection system. Work with haulers to increase services offered in order to reduce waste, increase recycling and increase use of disposal facilities other than landfills. 3) Switch to a system of organized collection with one hauler for the City (that may or may not include collection of recycling) that manages waste using a variety of methods accord- ing to the State's hierarchy in order to minimize landfilling. 4) Switch to a system of organized collection with one hauler per zone or one consortium of haulers per zone in the City (that may or may not include collection of recycling) that manages waste using a variety of methods according to the State's hierarchy in order to minimize landfilling. 45