Council hears Recyclops presentation on opt‑out curbside recycling; staff asked for cost and operational details

Midway City Council heard a presentation from Recyclops (Ryan Smith and company representatives) on options for citywide curbside recycling, including an opt‑out model intended to increase participation and an array of pricing tiers and add‑ons for weekly service or glass recycling.

Recyclops described an operational model that uses locally contracted drivers pulling logoed trailers or small vehicles rather than heavy garbage trucks, with mixed recycling collected in bags or small curbside bins and glass collected as a separate add‑on. Ryan Smith told the council that he sends Midway material to Salt Lake area material recovery facilities; he said Waste Management recently built a roughly $24,000,000 recycling facility in the region and that those facilities markedly reduce the share of recyclable material that ultimately lands in a landfill compared with the national average.

Key points from the presentation and council questions

- Participation model and rates: Recyclops said Midway currently has about an 18% opt‑in subscription rate. The company estimated an opt‑out model (where service is provided by default and households can opt out) typically yields roughly 75–80% participation in comparable communities. - Pricing options discussed (city chooses the base program): examples presented included a base, every‑other‑week program at about $17 per month (no glass); a weekly program at about $23 per month (no glass) and roughly $25 per month with glass included. Individuals could also add weekly pickup or glass for an additional per‑household fee. Recyclops said the city could choose which level to standardize and allow residents to opt into add‑ons. - Operational method: Recyclops described a bag or small bin approach for residential curbside collection, using local independent contractors rather than heavy collection fleets; flattened cardboard is handled separately and glass is collected only if a resident selects that add‑on. - Contamination and recovery rates: Recyclops reported contamination rates in the 5–8% range in its operations and said Salt Lake facilities typically yield lower rates of discarded recyclables than the national average (the transcript cites the national average of material put in recycling that still ends up in landfill at 25%). - Service reliability and past issues: several councilmembers raised prior reliability concerns with earlier contractors — missed collections, difficulty obtaining replacement bags, and inconsistent pickup — and asked how Recyclops would prevent recurrence. Recyclops said the company’s national metrics show a 99.5% on‑time completion rate and described internal improvements after a period of rapid expansion. - Billing and administration: the council asked whether the city would bill residents or Recyclops would bill directly. Recyclops presented multiple models: the city could manage opt‑in/opt‑out lists and bill residents (which creates staff time, credit‑card fees and customer support burdens) or the company could bill residents directly under contract. Councilmembers asked staff to provide a budget estimate for any city billing, customer support or software needs.

No formal vote; council direction and next steps

The recycling discussion was presented as a workshop item; no motion was on the agenda and the transcript shows councilmembers asking clarifying questions, airing prior concerns, and asking staff to return with a cost analysis and implementation options. The mayor and several councilmembers indicated interest in pursuing further information; the council gave a general thumbs‑up to continue work on the idea and requested follow‑up on program costs, staffing impacts, procurement options and service guarantees.

Clarifying details captured from the discussion

- Current opt‑in subscription level in Midway: approximately 18% (Recyclops figure). - Expected participation under opt‑out: Recyclops estimated roughly 75–80% participation in comparable communities. - Sample pricing tiers from Recyclops materials: $17/month (every other week, base, no glass), $23/month (weekly, no glass), $25/month (weekly with glass); individual households could add weekly pickup or glass for additional fees. - Operational equipment: pickup trucks with trailers or vans used for collection in Midway; smaller vehicles and trailers are designed to reduce emissions and road wear compared with heavy garbage trucks. - Reported performance metrics from Recyclops: contamination ~5–8%; company reported a 99.5% on‑time successful completion rate nationally.

Ending

Councilmembers asked staff to return with a detailed financial and operational plan — including the cost to the city for billing and customer support, options for contractor oversight or direct billing by Recyclops, and contract language to protect service levels. The item was left for additional staff work and possible future action.