SIDNEY — City residents soon will be getting information in the mail about the new automated trash-collection system that will begin Oct. 1.
Two brochures will be mailed to all residential accounts outlining the new service, costs, options and timelines. This information also has been posted on the city’s website and Facebook page.
Gary Clough, assistant city manager/public works director, discussed the conversion with Sidney City Council Monday night. Council approved the change to automated collection April 13. The conversion is on schedule to occur Oct. 1, Clough said. New trash containers will be delivered to all residential customers except those who choose to stay on the low-volume bag system.
Unless they inform the city’s trash hauler, Republic Services, otherwise, customers will receive one 96-gallon cart for waste collection and one 65-gallon cart for recycling collection. Waste carts will be green and recycling carts will be blue. Customers who want smaller waste containers must call Republic at 1-800-686-1732 by Aug. 21. The other cart sizes are 65 gallons and 35 gallons. The recycling carts only are available in the 65-gallon size. The various service levels are listed on the brochure that residents will receive.
“It is important then that all customers call Republic according to the information on the brochures so Republic can order the new containers to meet the September delivery schedule,” Clough said in his report to council.
Recyclables will be picked up every other week instead of weekly, but trash will be collected following the current schedule. Republic earlier had considered changing to a four-day schedule.”They decided to stay with the five-day schedule,” Clough said. Yard waste will be picked up on Fridays.
What residents will pay for garbage collection will vary based on what option they choose. Cart users will pay $18.09 per month for a 65- or 96-gallon container, or $17.95 per month for a 35-gallon container. Low-volume bag users will pay $47 for 10 bags.
Recycling collection is included in the cost of both options for cart users. Bag users may choose to pay $4.35 a month for a 65-gallon recycling cart or use up to two 18-gallon bins at no additional cost.
Yard-waste collection also is included in the rate cart users pay. Bag users must pay $1.97 per sticker to place on their yard waste.
Residents can put out one “big item” per week at no additional cost. There are additional costs for more big items and extra cart rentals.
Republic offers a free carryout service to qualified handicapped customers who are unable to move their carts to the curb. Nonhandicapped customers can pay $14 additional per month to have carts picked up beside their house.
Councilman Steve Wagner asked about the regulations to qualify for free handicapped service.
Clough said residents would have show proof. He also said, “Every adult in the family has to qualify.” If there is an able-bodied person at the residence, the free service would not be available.
Residents may keep their old recycling containers, Clough said, or they may put them out for pickup. The city will reuse the ones that are in good condition.
Clough suggested residents use their old garbage cans for yard waste.
Residents will throw all their recyclables in their new 65-gallon cart instead of separating paper from other items as has been done in the past.
Mayor Mike Barhorst said he had read reports that the co-mingling of items for single-stream recycling sometimes did not work well.
Clough said there can be problems when containers are not emptied of liquid, which results in paper getting wet. He also said steel and aluminum food containers are the type of metal items that should be put in recycling, not larger scrap-metal items.
