Jackson takes closer look at curbside recycling

Jackson residents want curbside recycling, according to survey results, but city officials said more information is needed before proceeding.

A comprehensive survey of Jackson residents conducted in the spring gave city officials a lot of information on several topics, including what residents see as priorities for the city.

Curbside recycling topped the list, at 61 percent of respondents who indicated the issue should be high or very high priority.

On the issue of whether to increase taxes to pay for it and other items, 62 percent of respondents said they would support a tax increase. But according to city administrator Jim Roach, there’s no way to know whether those people willing to pay for curbside recycling are the same people who want it.

Since the survey results were made available in June, Roach said, city staff has discussed what could be done about curbside recycling.

“We’ve been doing some research against other communities and what they’re doing,” Roach said at the retreat and work session for the mayor and board of aldermen Thursday at the Jackson Civic Center.

Jackson public works director Rodney Bollinger solicited budget quotes from six companies. Of those, two responded, he said.

The quotes received were for 5,500 accounts for weekly curbside recycling pickup, single stream — that is, all recyclable materials in a single 95-gallon container, Bollinger said.

Roach said the quotes are not bids but will give some idea of numbers to consider in the decision.

Republic Services quoted $7.78 per customer per month for weekly curbside service using a 95-gallon container provided by the company, Bollinger said.

Paired with the current $6-a-month fee for solid waste pickup, that would be almost $14 per month.

Waste Connection of Missouri quoted recycling only at just over $6 per customer for the same service monthly, but Bollinger said it went a step further and indicated an interest in taking over solid-waste collection, which it quoted at $17.50 total per customer monthly.

Of the communities that shared their rates with Bollinger, he said the range for comparable services was from about $15.50 to about $20.50, so this aligns financially with what other communities are doing.

Jackson’s $6 monthly rate includes several services, Bollinger wrote in an email Friday.

Weekly solid waste pickup for qualifying residential customers has a three-bag limit, Bollinger wrote. A tag for each additional bag is available for $1 each.

A customer qualifies for residential solid-waste pickup services if the household is in a single-family dwelling on a single lot, Bollinger wrote in an email Friday.

Yard-waste collection on the first and third full weeks of each month also is conducted for solid-waste customers.

The Jackson Recycling Center at 508 Sawyer Lane (formerly Eastview Court) accepts self-sorted recyclables from Jackson residents and businesses and from the surrounding area.

At the retreat, Roach said the recycling center brings in a lot of cardboard from businesses in and near Jackson, which he said was of value to them.

Solid-waste customers can request a special pickup, Bollinger wrote, at a minimum prepaid charge of $50.

Two special events in June are held for residential customers as well, Bollinger wrote in the email.

E-Cycle Day allows customers to drop off appliances, electronic waste and other items with recoverable metal, Bollinger wrote, and Clean-Up/Fix-Up Week is a curbside pickup of household castoffs for solid-waste customers.

All of these services at $6 per month is “a pretty good value,” Roach said at the retreat Thursday.

Alderwoman Katy Liley asked whether the $6 per month fee covers the cost of solid waste and recycling operations, and Roach said, “We barely break even.”

Some revenue is generated from recycling sales, Roach said.

Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs said recyclable materials’ market value has fallen dramatically in recent years because of number of factors, which in turn affects revenue.

Looking to the future, Roach said, “I certainly believe that in the next year or two, we will look at an increase.”

Alderwoman Wanda Young asked whether data was available on who uses the recycling center and how frequently. Roach said since the center is open to everyone, he had no firm numbers on usage.

Ultimately, Roach said, there are more questions than answers at this point. He recommended a more comprehensive survey, with price points included. That way, city officials have a clearer idea of how interested residents are in curbside recycling and at what price.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630