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Waste Management tells Fernandina Beach: recycling markets still strained; service rate favorable
Summary
Contractor Waste Management presented its annual sanitation report, saying city residents pay a bundled rate of $29.87/month for weekly garbage, recycling and bulk pickup — substantially lower than nearby unincorporated service comparators — and warned recycling processing has become more expensive (about $160/ton to process).
Greg Huntington, senior account executive for Waste Management, delivered the company’s annual sanitation report as required under its contract with the city. Huntington said the city's residential service bundle — onegarbage pickup, one recyclables pickup and one bulk pickup per week — costs residents $29.87 per month, which the presenter contrasted with unincorporated Nassau County open-market rates he cited at roughly $72.78 plus an additional charge for bulk pickups.
Huntington described service levels (about 7,000 residential units with roughly 80% recycling participation), a roughly one-million annual service-events estimate and low complaint volume. He outlined commercial coverage (roughly 500 accounts) and noted unique downtown seven‑day service. On recycling markets he warned that global demand changed after China reduced imports: “Just to give you an idea, it's about a $160 a ton to recycle to process recycling materials. If people took it to the landfill, it'd be about $42.” He urged residents not to put lithium batteries or plastic bags into containers and encouraged correct sorting to avoid MRF downtime.
City staff reminded the commission the sanitation fund is an enterprise fund with a $3,440,000 budget supporting sanitation functions, and staff said the contract with WM runs through 2028.
