Laserfiche WebLink
Within the curbside pickup service possibilities, there are two options: source separated cart <br />service and commingled Blue Bag service. While the two curbside programs have some <br />similarities, there are also noteworthy differences between them. To implement the curbside <br />cart option, the City of Roseville should consider working with a single organized hauler (such <br />as Eureka Recycling) to provide curbside cart organics recycling pickup for its residents. When <br />using the cart, residents must place their organics in a certified compostable bag, which is then <br />deposited into the cart. While some cities allow residents to use brown paper grocery bags, it <br />is our recommendation that Roseville require the use of certified compostable bags to minimize <br />odor issues. Once the materials are collected, the haulers transport the organics recycling to a <br />transfer station where it is loaded onto a larger truck and delivered to an organics processing <br />facility. <br />Curbside carts must initially be purchased by the city, and compostable bags, which vary in <br />price and size, can either be purchased by residents or provided by the city at no additional cost <br />to residents. Interview responses from numerous city representatives suggest that it is common <br />to roll organics recycling program costs into recurring utility fees or solid waste fees (Bednar, <br />2017; Fisher, 2017; Horner, 2017). Residents can expect a nominal increase in monthly <br />utility/waste fees, however, actual increases will depend on the specific terms in the city -hauler <br />contract. Because recycled organics are exempt from solid waste management taxes and <br />organics recycling diminishes solid waste volume, residents can expect reductions in their solid <br />waste fees. These reductions will partially offset the slight increase associated with the organics <br />recycling program. <br />In examining curbside cart program implementation costs for the city, several factors should <br />be considered. One factor is the cost of purchasing the carts themselves, and determining how <br />many to buy. It is recommended that the city offer its residents an "opt -in" program. This way, <br />residents interested in the service can contact the city to enroll. By offering this type of <br />participation, Roseville would also have a clear idea as to how many carts to initially purchase <br />to get the program started. The cost of carts can vary; in our interview with Christopher <br />Goodwin from Eureka Recycling, he estimated the cost per cart to be approximately $25-30 <br />each (Goodwin, 2017). It is possible that the city could use SCORE grant funds to help cover <br />the initial start-up costs incurred with cart purchase. Additionally, as with any other program <br />that it implements, the city would have to pay for community education and outreach. <br />The curbside cart program has advantages as well as disadvantages that must be considered. <br />Advantages associated with this type of pickup include the convenience of having the organics <br />recyclables picked up right at home and less chance of contamination since only organics <br />recycled materials are placed in the carts. Disadvantages include increased hauler traffic in <br />neighborhoods due to low route density, monetary expenses associated with carts used for the <br />organics recycling materials, and the inability to accommodate multi -family units with this <br />program type. <br />The second curbside program option for Roseville to consider is the Blue Bag program. <br />Customers simply place their organics recycling material into a Blue Bag plastic bag, tie it shut, <br />and it in their regular trash cart. From there, it is sorted at the transfer station after the hauler <br />picks up the trash (Organix Solutions, 2017). <br />The Blue Bag program has advantages as well as drawbacks. One advantage is that there is no <br />need for an additional cart dedicated to organics material. Also, since organics recycling with <br />the Blue Bag program is picked up by the trash hauler, it eliminates extra trucks (and ultimately, <br />16 <br />