City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date: September 07, 2004

Item No.:

Informational: Consider in-house curbside recycling collection along with the disposal, including hauling, of recyclables collected from the drop off site.

Background: The Mayor requested that I check into the feasibility of doing curbside recycling in-house versus having recycling contracted (Waste Management). The Mayor also requested that we check into hauling our own recyclables collected from the yard; newspaper, cardboard and co-mingled.

Currently, each resident receives recycling collection every other week by Waste Management. Waste Management runs ten (10) routes, four (4) days each week. Waste Management owns the recycling carts currently used by the residents.

At the present time, we have ten (10) refuse collection routes; three (3) on Mondays, three (3) on Tuesdays and two (2) each on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The City currently uses four (4) automated side loaders. These trucks could be used for recycling collection that would be done on Friday. If the City decides to do in house recycling on Fridays, we would not be able to collect holiday trash or recycling because we do not have the additional equipment needed to provide these pick up services.

Due to the fact that Waste Management owns the current recycling carts used by residents, the City would have to purchase approximately 7,600 carts at a cost of $262,000.00 for 65 gallon carts or $300,124.00 for 95 gallon carts.

With respect to dumping the curbside recyclables collected, Once Source Recycling, Incorporated of Racine, will give the City $8.00 per ton for one source recycling. One source recycling allows the City to mix newspaper, cardboard and co-mingled items together into one truck and deliver to the dump site. On an average, Waste Management recycled approximately 2,200 tons of one source recyclables. Based on these figures, approximately $17,600.00 would be returned to the City annually. Waste Management will give the City $5.00 per ton for separated recyclables delivered to their site by the City of Oak Creek.

At the present time, our contract states that Waste Management will pick up our drop off site cardboard and co-mingled recyclables at no charge to the City. However, if we do our own recycling, the drop off cardboard and co-mingled recyclables will be subject to an $83.50 per container fee which is the same cost we currently pay to have our construction dumpsters dumped. In 2003, 359 construction containers were dumped by Waste Management which cost the City $29,977.00. In order for the City of Oak Creek to dump containers from the drop off site, a roll off truck would be needed at a cost of approximately $115,000.00.

Summary: Should the City decide to do recycling in-house, we believe a ninety (90) day notice would need to be given to Waste Management. Our current contract expires on December 31, 2004.

Fiscal Impact: Funds in the amount of $228,000.00 will be requested for the 2005 Solid Waste Budget.

If the City decides to stay with Waste Management, we will be charged $2.50 per household per month for the next two (2) years which is what the City is paying at the current time.

Prepared by: Bill Schaper	Respectfully submitted, Barbara S. Blumenfield, Ph.D
Street Superintendent	City Administrator

Fiscal Review by: Beverly A. Buretta, CMC City Clerk

BS: ms

ccrpt/streets(T)/shared/word/ccrptrecyclingin-house