Kaysville council adopts recycling opt-out for new move-ins, adds hardship exemption

The Kaysville City Council on Dec. 5 approved a resolution to automatically enroll all new residential move-ins in the city's curbside recycling service beginning Jan. 1, 2025, while creating a limited hardship opt-out for qualifying households.

The measure, presented by city staff as a diversion-incentive program tied to the Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District, is intended to increase recycling participation among new residents and qualify Kaysville for a $3,500-per-month diversion incentive payment. City staff said roughly 80% of new move-ins already arrange recycling; the policy aims to sign up the remaining households.

Council Member Adams moved to adopt the resolution and Council Member Oakes seconded the motion. After discussion about a proposed hardship exemption, the council voted to approve the resolution.

Under the adopted resolution, new move-ins will be enrolled in recycling service automatically; existing residents who currently decline recycling will remain grandfathered and are not affected. The resolution directs staff to implement a hardship program modeled on the State of Utah's heating-assistance eligibility. The hardship option will be available to households at or below 150% of the federal poverty line; staff said the city does not expect many households to qualify. For hardship cases the city would subsidize the roughly $5 monthly recycling fee so the household may opt out.

City staff said qualification and administration of the hardship program will mirror the state program's application process; the packet accompanying the resolution included a federal poverty-line table for staff use.

Council members voiced support for the program's diversion goals and for minimizing impacts on low-income households through the hardship exemption. No one from the public spoke on the item.

The resolution also notes the city's eligibility for the Wasatch district diversion incentive payment of $3,500 per month tied to increased participation among new accounts.

The council approved the resolution; staff will implement the automatic enrollment beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and will publish details of the hardship application process and eligibility criteria.