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Allegan council approves removing downtown cardboard recycling bins, doubling trash dumpsters to cut fines
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Summary
The City of Allegan approved a DDA-backed change to the downtown refuse program that removes cardboard/paper recycling bins and increases the number of solid-waste dumpsters after staff said contamination and overflow fines exceeded $13,000 over two years. Council acknowledged a county recycling rule coming July 2027 and asked staff to explore alternatives.
The Allegan City Council voted to adopt a Downtown Development Authority recommendation to remove cardboard and paper recycling bins from most downtown enclosure sites and increase the number of solid-waste dumpsters at each location, a change staff said is intended to reduce contamination and overflow fees.
City staff presented photographs of overflowing downtown enclosures and told council the city has paid more than $13,000 in contamination and overflow fines in the last two years. "When the dumpsters are collected in this condition ... the city is charged overflow fees and contamination fees," the staff presenter said, arguing the recommended change would reduce those costs and staff time spent emptying overflows.
Council members raised several practical concerns. One member asked where cardboard recycling would go after the change; staff replied there is no established cardboard-and-paper recycling location inside city limits and that private haulers typically require a threshold of users before servicing a site. A council member suggested investigating a central cardboard dumpster at the DPW for after-hours drop-off; staff said they would look into that but cautioned about after-hours gate access and the logistics of permitting public access behind a gate.
Council also discussed a pending county-level recycling requirement that one council member said will take effect July 1, 2027; staff characterized the city's change as likely to be a temporary fix until the county and municipalities settle their shared service approach.
The council adopted the staff/DDA recommendation by motion. Staff said the change aims to eliminate contamination fines and reduce staff time spent managing overflow, while continuing to explore longer-term county and shared-service solutions.
