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Las Vegas Sun File
Recyclables are sorted at the Republic Services recycling facility. The company is testing a once-a-week trash and recycling pickup program in a Henderson ward.
Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010 | 2 a.m.
COST OF NEW PROGRAM
Republic Services says it would cost $20 million in mechanized trucks and $10 million for new bins, to implement a countywide policy of picking up recyclables in one bin instead of three. Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani argues that the company would save millions of dollars a year by paying out less in workers’ compensation as a result of the new trucks.Sun Archives
Beyond the Sun
Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani wants the Las Vegas Valley’s trash hauler to make recycling more convenient without scaling back its twice-a-week garbage collection schedule.
Chris Giunchigliani
Giunchigliani is proposing that Republic Services begin offering single-stream recycling, which allows customers to put all their recyclables in one bin, as soon as March. It’s an option that has been tested in various pilot programs throughout the county for nearly two years.
“The time to study this is over,” she said Monday.
Republic Services has resisted the change, saying it would be too costly because it requires the purchase of new trucks. To proceed and defray the cost, however, the company proposes cutting back to once-a-week garbage collection, which it says is working well in pilot programs.
Bob Coyle, Republic Services vice president of government relations, said if Giunchigliani’s plan is approved, Clark County residents will pay higher trash fees.
The debate will come to a head today as Giunchigliani tries to persuade fellow commissioners to amend Republic Services’ contract to maintain its twice-a-week trash pickup while replacing the red (plastic and metal), white (paper) and blue (glass) recycling bins used by most homes in unincorporated Clark County, with a single recycling bin. She also wants Republic and the county to talk about creating a “recycle bank” that provides recycle incentives in the form of credits that can be spent at local businesses.
Some commissioners appeared reluctant Monday to join Giunchigliani’s call for change.
Tom Collins
“I think her environmental exuberance is getting in the way of making these changes through the right process,” Commissioner Tom Collins said.
Collins added that he recycles, although a bit unconventionally given that he lives near Logandale. “If I have biodegradables, I just throw them in the yard and let the chickens or the bugs get at it.”
The problem with Giunchigliani’s plan, he said, is that he doesn’t think the company has made enough money to cover the cost of new trucks needed for single-stream recycling — trucks with pneumatic arms to lift large bins into their beds. Republic Services, he noted, keeps getting hit with more expenses to recap and monitor Sunrise Landfill, which tore open during a torrential downpour in 1998. This year, Republic began a $20 million recapping project on the 440-acre landfill scheduled for completion in 2012.
“Don’t just come out and say, ‘I want you to start doing this,’ ” Collins added. “Let’s look at what makes the most sense, is logical and practical and better for our service.”
Commissioner Steve Sisolak doesn’t recycle, but would if all he had to do is toss his recyclables in a single bin. Even so, he doesn’t appear ready to support Giunchigliani’s plan to amend Republic’s contract.
Like Collins, Sisolak cites the cost for the company. Republic estimates the cost of buying new trucks at $20 million. Add to that the $10 million cost of new recycling bins for the county’s 210,000 households.
“Maybe I could go for it if (the cost) was spread out over time,” Sisolak said.
Kathleen Boutin
He pointed to an idea being tested in Henderson. About two weeks ago, Councilwoman Kathleen Boutin’s ward went to once-a-week garbage and once-a-week recycling pickup. In addition, Republic buys for the homeowner both the recycling bin and trash bin. In just two weeks, Boutin said, most of her constituents seem happy with the change.
“I hear two things,” Boutin said. “ ‘I never recycled before, and I feel good about it now, and you make it so easy.’ And ‘I’ve always recycled, but I love this, and I’d never go back to the old system.’ ”
Giunchigliani said Henderson residents view things differently when the summer heat arrives and starts cooking trash that is only picked up once a week. “They don’t have the smell right now.”
She added that if the county changed trash pickup to once a week and used the bins that Republic would purchase, “unlimited trash pickup” would disappear.
“As it is now, if you have 10 bags of trash, they have to pick it up,” she said. “If we used their bins, they’d only pick up what would fit in those bins.”
But Coyle said if the county went to once-a-week trash pickup, the schedule would allow homeowners to put out bulk items every other week. “So if you have the fronds from 20 palm trees piled up, you’d put them out and we’d pick them up,” he said.
Coyle added that Republic is interested in moving to automated trash pickers, but not as rapidly as Giunchigliani would like.
The company recognizes its workers are injured to the tune of almost $3 million in worker compensation costs each year. In Anaheim, Calif., with a similar number of households, its workers’ compensation bill is only about $300,000, largely because the trucks are automated.
The millions in potential savings here would help defray the cost of purchasing trash bins for households in unincorporated Clark County, he said.
Giunchigliani said she sees her amendment as a compromise because she is no longer asking for weekly recycling pickup.
“This can work, I just hope they give it a chance,” she said.
Commissioner G is correct. I am on one of those "pilot" programs because the Cith of N Las Vegas caved. The smell is a problem in the summer and a family of more than four will probably have a problem with the just once a week pick up schedule.
Recycling is a great idea. At least this discussion is on the table.
I live in Alabama and we switched over a couple of yrs. ago to the bigger recycling containers with wheels, and since they did I became more excited about using it. It was so much easier to use since it had a lid to keep out the wet weather, If the paper products got wet then the trucks wouldnt pick it up. we get bi-weekly pickup and I have found that if I miss 1 week of putting it out it almost gets overfilled.only problem I see with it is we cant put glass in them, which I think should be added to the list. It is amazing to see how much it saves from going into the landfill and being reclcyed.We also have a bigger wheeled container that collects yard waste that also works out great.Hope vegas takes the time and trouble it will take to make it easier to reclcye your trash as sooner or later you will run out of places to put it or the cost will keep getting higher to throw it away and then to replace it with more goods.
I refuse to recycle until we get the bins. Using those three small red, white, and blue bins is absolutely crazy...they are heavy and they blow away in the wind, particularly if one lives near the foothills.
I agree with theone1. I also live in NLV and although I love the new giant cans on wheels and the recycle cans, once a week pickup especially in the summer, isn't often enough. The smell is awful! We are a family of 5 and fill our recycle can each week. We also requested a second trash can and some weeks fill that as well. If you have more trash than will fit in the can, it gets left on the sidewalk. The drivers WILL NOT get out of their trucks to pick it up unless it is a bulk trash day.
I have never lived anywhere that residential trash is collected more than once a week. Most weeks I don't put the trash out twice since the bin isn't close to being full. I would like a program where you have a choice of once or twice a week and pay different rates for each.
When we lived in coastal North Carolina, we had trash pickup once a week. The summers there are very hot and humid, and "the smell" as mentioned by theone1 was never a problem. As long as proper containers are used (and not the mishmash of bags, boxes, and other inadequate containers I've seen around here), no odors escape from trash containers. I would also like to have the option for once-a-week pickup to get lower rates.
My family is in the pilot program in Henderson and its a bad deal. The largest problem with it is that our trash pick up days have been reduced to once a week, while our bill has remained the same. Meanwhile, we are sorting trash for Republic Services. So, less service, we are doing their work, and we are paying the same. It all equates to a bad deal for the consumer. Please revert to the old system.
Chris G. has a point about the summer. I can see why Republic Services started the "pilot" program in December and not July. The smell of week-old heated garbage would end this debate immediately.
just another way to raise our already too high garbage pickup rates ...... just say no .....
When I lived in Riverside, CA a few years ago, we were given 3 large trash containers. A blue one for the recycleables, a brown one for non recycleables and a green one for landscaping.
The pick-ups were once a week and everybody on our street did the same thing....when one of the blue or brown containers were full we simply used the other container. So even though it's suppose to separate the recycleable from non-recycleable, it usually didn't.
If there is no raise in rates, and Republic gives everyone two trash containers (one for trash and one for recycling) for free and we get to keep the old bins, I'm for it.
the problem that Noindex (Thomas Delahunty) talks about does happen because they cause it. LOL
As human beings on this planet with limited resources, WE CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO RECYCLE. Do some research, do you care? You better. I'm enrolled in Environmental Science at CSN. Take a class, and LEARN. Environmental issues are successful when they balance - financially, politically and environmentally. I have recycled for years, in NV, CO, UT. I'm from SLC, UT and they REQUIRE County residents to recycle. If you put out too much trash you are fined. That's how it really should be. Recycling should be mandatory. We waste so much on this planet, and sooner or later the planet will not support us - recycling is necessary, regardless of how inconvenient or costly it may be. There is and always will be other costs. Think about it.
ONCE a week and REQUIRE QUIETER TRUCKS--both vehicle noise and compacter/dumping noises are obscenely LOUD. No technology in 40 years? Insist WM get quieter trucks.
Commissioner Sisolak doesn't recycle? Us "small" people do. I guess privilege has its perks? And Commissioner Collins' solution would run afoul of a lot of HOA rules, especially since most neighbors aren't fond of chickens in the back yard (maybe they were a gift from Sue Lowden?)
But really folks. I've been recycling since day one with the baskets. I can say that I'm growing weary of separating and carrying them to the curb. The red one is always too full and you have to put something over them if it's windy.
And to those that whine about "exorbitant" fees for trash pickup. We pay about $40 bucks a quarter for trash service. Come on, that's rock bottom pricing there.
Give me the single recycling can. With any luck it'll be somewhat of a deterrent from the roving metal scroungers that patrol my neighborhood on trash days.
NLV recycles into one single bin now and trash/recycle is picked up once per week. It works great. The only thing that is needed is that recycling should be made mandatory like it was in Chicago where I lived for 60 years. There, if you put recyclable materials into your regular trash (and it was noticed by the hauler) your trash and recycle bins were left un-emptied until you changed things. Let's do it.
I think garbage pick-up rates are quite reasonable already. I had family that moved to the east coast and they pay at least four times what we pay so the idea that are trash rates are high is ridiculous. I often wonder how they do it so cheaply.
Second thing is I am an avid recycler. I think it should be mandatory and those who dont should pay higher trash bills. Also as a recycler I would like to see a weekly pick up because the three bins I have are not big enough. Also the idea of one big bin with a lid on it would be awesome.
Twice a week trash pick up really is absurd. Once a week pickup, with single stream recycling bins, is just fine.
About $2 per truck pass on a home for once a week service with every other week bulk pickup pass. Considering the costs of the truck, fuel, labor, landfill expenses, State payroll taxes, insurance and more I consider us lucky for such a low rate. As I always like lowering my bills, I am unsure if this is where one should or could find additional savings and how the minimal savings would allow one to stimulate the economy or save for retirement.
For recycling the every other week is a pain and the open bins make a mess of the neighborhood on a windy day. I look forward to the one container solution.
The only real cost effective commodity to recycle is aluminum.
When we lived in Orlando we had once a week pick up for recycling and twice for trash and we paid more than we do here. You get what you pay for.
We had one bin for paper, one for glass, alum, cans, and one for yard waste. It worked great and you could go to the landfill and get compost. People that had trouble picking up the bins and moving them to the curb would buy 3 tiered holders to roll them out.
We need to recycle and people need to get their heads out of their rear ends and accept change. Just because it has "always been this way", doesn't mean we don't need to change.
Recycled a whole lot more in Virginia than we did in Florida. Only had once a week pick up for trash in Virginia, but had so little trash, it was not a problem.
IF there is a SMELL from your garbage USE A PLASTIC BAG. ONCE A WEEK IS ENOUGH. Don't buy, use or pay for more product/service than you need.
I live in Henderson with the 2 bins once a week. The problem is that my neighbors leave those giant trash cans outside all week, because they use their garages for storage and other stuff. You can tell which houses have been abandoned by the lack of cans outside. In my case, I started to use the recycling can, but I had to put it in the backyard. So I did it for a week and then decided to throw everything into the one trash barrel. Why? Because it's a PIA to drag a barrel over our rock yards to the street. Lazy? I think not. Now our subdivision is littered with trash cans out front everywhere.
The point is that next summer, I will have to drag the trash can over the rocks to a place outside beside my garage. One can, already smells in the Winter, on Tuesday, before the Thursday pickup. Blondie and Hafen were sold a bill of goods, they bought it big time. Can you imagine when they bargain with the 200G hose holders and the killer cops? We deserve what we got-a bunch of boobs elected by a bunch of boobs being influenced by a mega corporation. Oh, gee, is that dimes in my office?
BTW, one good thing is that I'm getting rid of my toxic broken A/C window unit Thursday, filled with refrigerants. Thought that was illegal. Think about it-if the spouse gives you too much crap, the barrels are rated for 200 pounds. He/She will fit quite nicely to the Apex landfill.... quite nicely
They do once a week pickup in Phoenix and it works fine. It gets a lot hotter there in the summer than it does in Vegas. I have been on the pilot for over a year. The only thing that kind of sucks is my pickup is Tuesday, so if you are out of town on that day you have to wait another week for a pickup. Not sure what you people throw away that you'd have that bad of smells. Buy some Hefty bags and tie them up.
I am in Henderson and have started the new program. I really like the co-mingle with one cart. I have recycled since the beginning. I was always disturbed by how many people did not participate. With the new program I am already seeing more people recycle. The trash cart is big enough for most trash. Mainly because more in the recycle cart eliminates more in the trash cart. I watched the new trucks make the pickup and it seems very efficient. I also understand the cost factor for Republic to replace the trucks with the new trucks. I think we should give it a try before condemning the new system.