Council reviews city-run recycling options; staff recommends quick decision for June rollout with March 11 on council calendar

Staff presented options for a city-managed recycling program and compared costs against the current mix of providers. The presentation outlined current household rates, how hauling and tipping fees factor into total cost and vendor proposals for can purchase and rollout.

Staff said the current household recycling arrangement (through Ace with hauling by Robinson Waste and tipping at Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District) charges households roughly $15.47 per month for the first black garbage can; staff noted hauling and tipping fees are scheduled to increase and that Robinson’s proposal includes a $2.50/month-per-can charge that covers purchase, assembly and delivery of new blue recycling cans during the contract term.

Under Robinson’s proposal the $2.50-per-can rollout charge would drop off after the vendor’s three-year financing period; the vendor also offered a five-year contract option that would (a) amortize the can charge over five years at a lower monthly amount and (b) hold hauling-rate CPI increases for two upcoming years, delaying index-driven increases until 2027. Staff said the five-year option produced a lower monthly cost than the three-year rollout in their models.

Staff compared three participation scenarios: an opt-in rollout (assumed <50% participation), a mid-level take rate (50–80%), and an opt-out approach (expected 80%+ and often 85–95% in other jurisdictions). Because per-household hauling costs fall as participation rises, staff said an opt-out approach typically gives the biggest per-household savings for recycling households. Staff used a conservative 10% tipping-fee diversion reduction in its calculations, and said Wasatch has suggested diversion rates can be about 15% in practice; actual savings will depend on realized diversion and residents’ choices.

Staff also noted the city would remain eligible for a $15-per-can rebate program if it implements a rollout with vendor-supplied cans and proposed an every-other-week collection schedule that could start the week of June 30 if council acts quickly. Council members asked for further detail on how the city would handle surplus black cans returned when residents drop from two cans to one; staff said returned cans could be used as spare parts or held for new development.

Next steps: staff asked the council to place the item on the March 11 agenda for a decision to meet the June rollout timeline and offered to provide updated cost charts and participation scenarios before that meeting.