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Sanitation staff propose 65‑gallon carts to improve recycling efficiency; city to pilot and address contamination
Summary
Public Works reported the city will move from 18‑gallon recycling bins to larger, wheeled 65‑gallon carts to improve operational efficiency and reduce contaminated loads; staff said the change will let the department do routes with fewer crew members and urged public education on proper recycling.
Public Works Director Shane LeBlanc told the council the city plans to shift recycling from small 18‑gallon bins to larger wheeled carts (65 gallons) to improve collection efficiency and reduce contaminated loads taken to the transfer station.
LeBlanc said the current 18‑gallon bins often yield wet, contaminated loads that the county rejects and which are burned at the energy‑recovery facility. The proposed switch would let the city operate one‑person trucks with automated lifts, cutting labor on each route and allowing crews to reassign staff to other productive tasks.
Staff acknowledged potential resident concerns about contamination, and said they will include educational materials and a door‑hanger when carts are distributed. The city also plans to use on‑truck cameras to monitor contamination and assess repeat offenders; staff said habitual abusers could be cited if contamination persists.
Costs and next steps: staff are evaluating quotes and suggested the council consider a transition to the carts in a phased way; they noted existing recycling and solid‑waste contracts, transfer‑station rules and county acceptance criteria will drive implementation timing. Councilmembers requested more detail on signage, enforcement, and whether costs to run the program change materially before approving a full rollout.
Operational note: Sanitation staff said the larger carts and automated pickups would reduce field crew needs for routine recycling routes and improve the quality of the recovered material by limiting weather‑related contamination.
