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StumbleSingle-stream recycling more popular than sorting, Republic Services says
Todd Korgan stands with his new recycling and garbage bins at his home near downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011.
Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 | 2 a.m.
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Recycling isn’t popular in Southern Nevada, or so the numbers seem to show. Just 3 percent of Republic Services’ customers recycle their plastics, cans and paper, according to the trash hauler.
But some Southern Nevadans — about 84,000 Republic customers — recycle at 10 times that rate.
The difference between the 3 percent and 30 percent recyclers? Whether they have to sort their recyclables into three bins or are able to put them in a single container, sometimes called single-stream recycling.
Since 2008, a growing number of homes have participated in a pilot single-stream recycling program. Those in the program — about 84,000 — are given one large recycling bin and one large trash bin. Once a week, trash and recyclables are picked up on the same day. Republic separates the paper, plastic and cans at its plant. Then once every two weeks, larger amounts of trash — bags of lawn clippings, for instance, or an old sink — are hauled away.
This differs from the typical trash service Republic provides to 433,000 Southern Nevada homes: twice-a-week trash pickup and recycling pickup every other week. Large trash is picked up twice a week.
The main difference between the typical service and the pilot program — so-called because when it was established three years ago it was intended to exist for a limited time while it was assessed — is that most Republic customers have to separate their recycling into small red, white and blue containers. The 3 percent recycling rate indicates how unpopular that is.
The pilot program, meanwhile, is “pretty successful,” says Bob Coyle, Republic Services’ vice president who deals with local politicians on trash issues. He cites company surveys that show a customer approval rate of 80 percent.
So why not let everyone have single-stream recycling? Money.
Coyle reels off a list of expenditures invested in the pilot program and how much it would cost to expand:
• For those 84,000 homes in the pilot program, Republic has spent $21 million for large trash/recycle bins and the trucks, which are fitted with arms to pick up bins.
• Henderson has 24,000 households in the pilot program. If it were expanded to all households, the company would have to spend another $21.2 million.
• If all of Las Vegas converted, expect another $25.5 million for bins and $16 million for trucks.
Coyle says because of the added expense, Republic would need to scale back its trash pickup to once a week if the once-a-week recycling program went countywide.
Therein lies the rub.
County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani may be one of the greenest politicians in Nevada. While in the state Legislature she championed a law that gave large tax rebates to those who built certified “green” structures.
It goes without saying that she supports recycling. And she likes the fact that the pilot program has increased rates of recycling. That said, Giunchigliani strongly disagrees with Republic’s insistence that it needs to raise rates or scale back trash pickup — from twice to once a week — to expand single-bin recycling countywide.
She cites the company’s current franchise agreement that allows for unlimited trash pickup and how that would be limited by such a change.
Now, “I can put out 25 bags and they have to pick it up,” she adds. “If we go to one (trash container) and one (recycling container), they will be making so much money off what they used to have to collect.”
In an upcoming meeting with company officials, she said she will suggest they do both: the large bins for recycling and twice-a-week trash pickup.
Todd Korgan, a downtown resident whose house was included in the pilot recycling program over the summer, has always been a good recycler. He grew up in Portland, Ore., a city with a green reputation, where he never remembers trash getting picked up more than once a week.
“I think people in Vegas might be a little spoiled” with the twice-a-week trash schedule, he said.
“If you recycle more, you have less garbage,” Korgan adds. “And it’s really easy now that we don’t have to separate it.”
More than a year ago Giunchigliani formed a committee to look at recycling. Her colleague, Commissioner Steve Sisolak, also sat on the committee.
“The committee was well-intentioned but I don’t think it addressed the issues that needed to be addressed for us to move forward,” Sisolak said.
Sisolak, though, wants the County Commission to talk about single-stream recycling. He is one of the customers who separate recycling into three bins and he admits he doesn’t do it much because it takes too much time.
Commission Chairwoman Susan Brager said she isn’t a good recycler, either, and for the same reason, but since her neighborhood came under the single-stream recycling program, she’s a convert. Brager said she recycles so much now she doesn’t create as much trash, and once-a-week pickup works for her.
“Now, all we have is a tiny little trash can for our garbage,” she said. “I mean, it’s tiny.”
Brager suggested a compromise: Maybe Republic could pick up trash twice a week during the hot months of June, July, August and September — when some fear letting trash sit around for a week would be a smelly proposition — and once a week in the cooler months.
“We need to figure out something,” Brager said, adding how surprised she was that she likes single-stream recycling. “Honestly, I didn’t want to like it, but it really does work for our needs.”
Discussion: 10 comments so far…
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As one of the three percenters, I often wonder just why I sort it when I see the Republic employees dumping the red, white and blue bins in the same box attached to the front of the truck.
Las Vegas IS spoiled with the twice a week year round trash pick up. Single stream encourages MORE recycling consistantly, and eventually the once a week pick up would work just fine, with the exceptions of the HOT weather months.
Let's face it, Republic just about has a monopoly on trash pick up throughout the United States of America. They have a very sweet deal. Republic needs to be more flexible, or just maybe another vendor can take over the trash business.
Most schools have single stream commercial bins, and that is working as well. As citizens we all can do our part to minimize our footprint environmentally.
Only 30% with single stream? Wow, you'd think people were being asked to kick their mothers by putting a discarded item into one bin instead of another.
recycling in las vegas is very poor, most of the apartment complexes dont undertake recycling or supply suitable trash cans for recycling. Have a look at Europe for recycling they are 100 years ahead of us. They even have recycling for used "adult" toys
I'd recycle if I had one can to put it all in.
why dont they have recycling centres in strip malls drop your rubbish off there and place it the relevant containers
This made me laugh. We have single stream here in N. Vegas. I just moved here from Connecticut. We paid a hell of a lot more for trash pickup there. They picked up trash once a week in a large bin just like here, and every other week a little tub full of cans and paper / corrugate.
A couple things to consider about Connecticut, 1. Don't even think of leaving anything other than that one bin by the side of the road because unless the driver is in a good mood and wants to get out of the truck its still going to be there when you get home from work. You're supposed to throw anything extra in your car and take it to the town dump location - also - pay again at the dump. 2) There is NO bulk pickup every other weeks. You have to call the hauler and he will charge you extra for whatever you are dumping beyond the one bin. When we moved here, they wanted $15 per additional trash bag at the curb to pickup what was left as trash from emptying the house into the Pack Rat.
My recommendation, quit crying - you have it real good and Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani has to get a reality check and see what these services are like in other parts of the country. I couldn't believe the deal here.
Forget this idea our community forces and mandates garbage cans have to be kept in the garage it's tough enough doing this for a couple of days one week would be intolerable . We have 1700 homes in our community and the homeowners would not comply with this effort.
I was against the "once a week" trash collection but after over a year in this new program, I found out that it was much better and our neighborhood looks much cleaner because we only see the trash once a week. The new containers are a lot bigger than what I had and most of the time I don't even fill up both containers on trash days. I can sympathize with those doubters but I'm pretty sure that they will love the new program once they try it. There are four adults and two babies in our household and we found out that the new trash containers are more than enough for our needs.
Has anybody given any thought to how many jobs will be lost by a single person operated truck? Also how much payroll would be saved by eliminating about 40% of the work force? The expense of converting to once a week service and purchasing the vehicles is really a one time expense. After that is all profit, especially the increase in recycling, which makes billions of dollars just selling it to China. If anything look to purchase stock in Republic Services/Allied it is going to be a very profitable move if you do. Think about it? Half the service, increased rates, less payroll, it only adds up to a bigger bottom line. DO THE MATH.
I recycle everything that can be recycled and I will tell you we desperately need a once per week recycling pick up. Once every two weeks and I have stuff falling out of my three little bins. Even if it is once every two weeks we still need the large single stream bins. They make it so difficult its no wonder few people do it. I really cannot stand throwing away anything that can be reused though. So I tolerate it for now and hope these people get this fixed....SOON!!!
I tried the whole recycling thing, them bins they give you dont hold anything, so I purchased a tall laundry basket perfect they wont even have to bend over!! Wrong they wouldnt empty it so that was a no brainer, dont recycle!!
did you know in Great Britain they collect once every 2 weeks.
you lot moan too much, try buying fresh meat and veg you will have less packaging waste, stop being lazy and make an effort after all it is your kids who will suffer from pollutants
Buy a box and use it to put shopping in dont use the plastic bags they give you, these should be banned anyway
buy less artificial processed foods which have a lot of packing around them apart from being healthier you will produce less waste. Do you really need those cookies with 3 wrappers around pack and each cookie, do you really need those potato chips in a plastic bag? Does the frozen pizza need to have a box, plastic wrapper and plastic tray?
too much waste from crap foods
People in our neighborhood leave the big bins out for days, it does not make the neighborhood any cleaner than before. The stench was unbearable this summer, couldn't sit in our backyard due to neighbors' overflow trash. Neighbors use the recycle bin as another trash bin and sometimes Republic empties the trash right into the recycling truck. Our pickup day is Wednesday so by about Saturday night, you can expect the odors to knock you out. We used to get Wednesday and Saturday trash pickup, which worked out great. Nobody seems to know when to put out big items so they sit on the sidewalk a week or two. The bins are loud, people roll the bins out to the street after midnight or before 6 am. We haven't seen any percentage increase in who puts out the recycling bin vs. when they had the three little bins, except the ones overflowing with trash. These bins are ugly and huge,loud and unwieldy. We only get once a week pickup which is just plain wrong. We are paying the same amount of money and getting half the trash pickup we used to get. Oh, and the driver can't be bothered to get out of the vehicle. Our neighbor came home and parked on the street near the bin and Republic refused to pick up the bin. Said it was too close to a vehicle. Apparently not only do you have to align the bin with wheels at the curb, you have to control the parking on your street, even when you are not home, just to get the trash picked up. Called their customer service and got someone snippy who said they could pick it up as a one-time courtesy. We told her it was not a courtesy, we paid for that pickup, out trash was out on time and they just drove by - saving money on manpower by not even allowing a driver to get out and move a bin over a foot so he doesn't lift it wrong and hit a vehicle? This pilot program should be scrapped.
By sandovalangel
I'm curious where you got your stats from 40% did you just pull that out of the air? Increase in the # of trucks and amount of recycling = more maintenance staff and more people needed to seperate the recycling and appartently those trucks last forever? Once you buy 1 drive all day everyday you never have to buy another one, i wish i could put hundreds of mile a week on my car and it last forever, my paychecks would be pure profit, Thanks for the Math help.
@Henderson6, sounds like you have dumb neighbors if they can't figure out what day trash day is and the complaint about a trash can on wheels being too loud is the most ridiculous thing i've heard.
Too many whiney people who would rather b**** & moan and sweat the small stuff.
I think Wookie & Uncle gig make good points, before i moved here i was paying 3x's as much for 1/2 the service. If i'm going to complain its going to be about my $300 power bill and not my $12 garbage bill
Do these numbers reflect that fact that scavengers come and take the recyclables? How many empty bins did they count?
I agree with DirtyGary. I recycle, but it's frustrating to see that the drivers just dump it all in to the same spot after we take the time to sort it. It just seems silly. I sometimes just throw the items into whatever bin is the least full, regardless of its label.
Have been using the new bins for over a year and I prefer it over the older method. I had misgivings at first with once a week pickup but don't miss it at all. All the complaints I read now were the same ones I saw last year when it was started in our neighborhood.
A big plus is the bins are heavy so they don't get knocked over during windy days. I don't know how many times I came home from work just to dodge trash cans that were blown all over the place.
I also like the fact that you only see trash cans out on the curb once a week. Looks nice (for a trash can anyways) to have some uniformity on the sidewalk.
Love the new bins. Love not having to separate my recycling. Love having to only take bins to street only once a week. Didn't have smelly garbage or bugs in the summer. (The smelly stuff was in sealed plastic bags direct from the kitchen and I sprayed the cans every week or two for bugs, no problem.) Great program.
Frankly, there is no excuse for not recycling, even if you have to sort the materials. Make an effort, for god sake. The single-stream bins work great. Republic will give you two recycle bins and two garbage bins if you ask.
As long as Republic has a monopoly and the County Commissioners around their fingers I will not recycle one thing.
I don't care for their tactics and I could care even less for their absolutely horrid customer service.
Our community enjoys the once-a-week schedule with the larger bins. Kudos to Republic for a system that works well. There's also something in it for Republic: One man can collect all the trash and never leave the truck cab. The results? Personnel savings and fewer on-the-job injury claims. A win-win, for sure.
I have the 3 bins and stopped sorting b.c it made no sense, they throw all of the recyclables into the same container on the front end.
Our 3 bins are full by the end of two weeks, but our garbage bag is barely half way full. Most of the trash like junk mail & consumer packaging is now recycled freeing up space in the garbage bag.
We should do like parts of Europe where recycling is free and they charge a lot more to take away garbage. Many citizens are too lazy to try and recycle. In most other cities throwing away garbage is a luxury. You could try and dump it by the department store bins but they are secured and locked away. So you have no choice, but to recycle.
I'm on a route that collects the three bins every two weeks. I stopped sorting recyclables when I saw it all was dumped into a container on the front of the truck. I basically try to even the weight equally between the 3 containers - lots of large glass liquor bottles - and the driver thanked me for it.
I have no problem with this, but Republic needs to stop crying about the cost. They REDUCED services over 20% without a corresponding 20% reduction in monthly bill to customers. Shouldn't they be using the savings to expand the program????? Whose pockets are being lined with the extra money? Certainly NOT the ratepayers!
I like that the smart people pick through the trash cans on the sidewalks, so they can feed their families with the money they get from the recycled goods. The Current trash company is a scam, if they wanted to really recycle, they would of make it profitable & had centers regular people could turn in their bottles and cans.
I really like the new trash bins. They are much easier on my back now that I don't have to lift the baskets, and I don't have to use bricks to keep newspapers from taking flight. There also seems to be a lot less loose trash flying around the neighborhood on windy days.
Garbage in, garbage out. The Sun needs to check its reporting before printing an article, in this case the multiple mentions that recyclables must be sorted into the current bins provided by Republic Services. There is no truth to this now or in the past 5 or more years. Increasing recycling isn't as much as about the container as it is about education. Education of the population both about the need to recycle and education levels in general. I'm all for using the new 96 gallon recycling containers. All Republic needs to do is give us one for free and keep the existing contract in place. They will make a very significant amount of money just off of all the recycled metals they collect and by reducing their number of trips from 5 to 4 every two weeks. Then with the new containers they can cut manpower by from one to two on the truck by using automation. With garbage pickups cut from two to one every week they will also reduce the number of trips to the dump. Under their new plan Republic benefits 9 ways from Sunday and the consumer not only gets short changed they get to pick up the entire tab for saving and making Republic more money. Wow, is this a great county or what!