Sanitation superintendent reports recycling growth, rising e-waste costs and truck delays

Jason Donati, sanitation superintendent for Muncie City, gave the board a year-in-review and current-status report on Feb. 19, covering recycling, trash collection, code enforcement, vehicle procurement and staffing. Donati said curbside recycling tonnage increased in 2024, the city expanded school roll-off recycling at several schools and the program is collecting cleaner material than in its first year.

Donati told commissioners the city covers roll-off fees at participating schools (named in his report as Delta High School, Cowan, Muncie Central and Inspire Academy) to encourage participation. He said household hazardous-waste collection last year totaled 24.47 tons, the trucks picked up 29,357.85 tons of trash from routes, and the neighborhood cleanup program removed 56.2 tons across 15 neighborhoods.

Electronics recycling is increasingly costly, Donati said; the fee to process e-waste roughly doubled and the sanitation department is exploring alternative processing sites and possible per-household limits. Donati said the department pays these bills through grant funding from the East Central Solid Waste District but that the cost increase has strained the program.

Donati reported other operational notes: two new automated refuse trucks are expected and a possible third in June, though the trucks — ordered in April 2023 — have been repeatedly delayed; the department continues route-optimization work; and an automated operator technician will retire soon, leaving an open position. He also noted the CNG station contract with BP is set to expire in June 2025 and the department is considering adjusting gas-gallon-equivalent retail rates.

District Administrator Rick Conrad told the board the district is making “pretty good progress” on levy tieback construction and has received responsive coordination from the Army Corps of Engineers, with construction expected to begin in spring as scheduled. Conrad also said the district completed bond-counsel interviews and selected Ice Miller to serve as bond counsel for anticipated bond issuances.

Conrad reported billing changes the district is making after commissioner questions: bills will now show user-class information and more itemized expense lines so customers can see how rates are calculated, and a more formal appeal process is available for customers who dispute their classification.

Commissioners commended staff for cold-weather work and program improvements. Commissioner Overton asked whether recent code-enforcement staffing and ordinance changes have helped; Donati and staff said four full-time code-enforcement officers are now handling increased caseloads and photo-documented ‘‘case studies’’ are guiding enforcement of move-out and bulk-trash situations. Donati noted an ordinance change increasing lease-total fees from $5 to $10 per month effective March 1.

The board asked staff to bring route-optimization ideas to a March cost-savings meeting with MSD leadership and to prepare for leaf season planning as weather improves.

Details from the report

- Household hazardous-waste collected: 24.47 tons (countywide program). - Total trash picked up by trucks in 2024: 29,357.85 tons. - Neighborhood cleanup: 15 neighborhoods; 56.2 tons removed. - Tires recycled: 1,762 (count provided as 1762). - Sharps collected: 1,349 pounds. - Muncie Mission tipping-fee volume reported: 543 tons. - Electronics recycling processing costs: described as having doubled; the exact new fee amount was not specified. - East Central Recycling agreed to freeze the recycling tipping fee for two years in the district contract; a CPI-based increase (not to exceed 8%) will begin July 26 in the third contract year.

Conrad said the district will proceed with Ice Miller as bond counsel. Donati said staffing openings include one full-time laborer and a part-time truck-washer position, and that an automated operator technician is retiring imminently.

No formal action was taken on these operational items; commissioners asked staff for follow-up reports and implementation updates.