By ZEINAB NAJM
Sunday Times Newspapers
TRENTON — Trenton has taken another step closer to the start of its new residential curbside recycling program with the approval to purchase recycling carts.
The City Council Dec. 20 passed the request to buy the 6,650 95-gallon carts for $58 each from Schafer Systems International, waving the normal bidding procedure.
Department of Public Service Director Kevin Sargent said the company has been the city’s sole supplier of carts since the inception of the automated collection process.
Included in the $431,699 price tag are the carts, delivery from North Carolina, distribution to each residence, delivery of brochures to each residence, and recording of all cart serial numbers in a spreadsheet format for DPS to keep on record.
Sargent also said cart manufacture can take up to four months once the order is placed. The city is aiming for a July 2022 start time for the new program.
Mayor Steven Rzeppa announced that the city received an almost $500,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Dec. 17 for the carts. The city already was awarded a $106,400 grant from The Recycling Partnership.
During previous discussions on the program, Acting City Administrator Dean Creech said that in addition to the carts, there would be the purchase of a sanitation truck, hiring of a DPS worker next summer, outreach and advertising, and ordinance change by the council to authorize putting a monthly fee on water bills.
The fee will be $5.50 monthly per house generating $23,408 monthly. For senior citizens 65 years and older the cost would be $3.
Total revenue would be $29,992 if all applicable individuals participate in the service; the revenue needed is projected to be $25,259, according to a presentation by Creech.
The approved sanitation truck will cost $290,480, and will need six to seven months for delivery.
An expected 70 percent participation and an estimated five to 12 pounds of recyclable material per residence is estimated by the city, Creech said.
The annual budget for the curbside recycling was broken down to $50,000 set aside a year for truck replacement, with the truck life being at least six years; cart replacements at $10,000; tipping fees based on tons at $151,000; labor and benefits at $72,112; fuel plus repair and maintenance at $10,000; and education and advertising at $10,000.
A total of $303,112 was calculated annually, so monthly the total would be $25,259.
The City Council would be able to have excess revenue held for related expenses and adjust the approved rate annually.
Currently, Trenton uses its own city employees and trucks for trash pickup which will continue if recycling is added. Creech said the recycling service will be bi-weekly with collection on the same day of the week as trash day for residents.
A dropoff center for recycling is the current service offered to residents. The city did not look into outsourcing curbside recycling under the options explored.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)