ECUA To Revisit Trash Pickup, Recycling Program Set To Begin In January In North Escambia

November 9, 2008

The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority will take a look at its sanitation and recycling program that is set to being in the county, including North Escambia, next year.

ECUA will take over the current Allied Waste franchise in North Escambia on January 1. Their current plan calls for a slight decrease in service cost, with one trash pickup and one recyclable pickup per week.

The ECUA board has already acted twice on the details of the new residential sanitation program, first in April and then again in October. The board will review its October plan at the special meeting Monday and may make changes in details of the planned program.

Allied and ECUA signed a contract on November 5 for ECUA to take over Allied’s North Escambia residential customers on January 1, terminating the Allied franchise that was set to expire in March of next year. Allied will take over ECUA commercial customers in the south part of Escambia County.

“No coercion was involved. Due to the county commission’s 2008 enactment of a flow-control ordinance that prohibits Allied from taking its collection to its own landfill near Brewton, Allied’s financial picture has changed for the worse, and it is happy to reach an agreement with ECUA,” Larry Walker, District 5 ECUA board member, said. “The business agreement between ECUA and Allied offers some attractive elements to Allied, which it is pleased to obtain.”

Walker said that he is pleased to see the end of the Allied franchise, as he personally received complaints about Allied service from over 900 households in four years.

“Allied has served some customers well: ECUA will serve all customers well,” he said.

Currently, both Allied and ECUA provide twice a week garbage pickup in their respective areas for $19.62 per month plus a fuel recovery charge. The current ECUA plan calls for a once-a-week garbage pickup and an optional once-a-week recyclables pickup for $17.99 per month. A second garbage can would be available for $3 per month, with both garbage cans being picked up on the same day.

“I wish to get the charge down to the lowest possible amount,” Walker said. “I also do not think that recyclables collection should be subsidized through the base rate for service.”

At Monday’s meeting, Walker will propose a monthly garbage rate of $17.52 with a subscription charge of 75 cents per month for the recyclables pickup. The combination of once-a-week garbage collection and once-a-week recyclables collection will offer 180 gallons of pickup per week — two 90 gallon cans — for a charge of $18.27. In total volume of pickup, that compares to the current service of 180 gallons of pickup — two 90-gallon cans — for $19.62.

ECUA’s services and rates in North Escambia will be exactly the same as they are in the rest of Escambia County.

walker.jpgWalker (pictured left) said that over half the customers he’s spoken with indicate that they can get by with a single weekly garbage pickup, especially when combined with the recyclables pickup.

“A sizable minority of customers think that once-a-week garbage pickup will not be adequate for their needs, even if they also utilize the recyclables pickup,” he said. “Some of these customers will discover that they can get by with one garbage pickup and one recyclables pickup: Others will genuinely need twice-a-week garbage pickup.”

Nationally, Walker said the trend is a move to once-a-week service rather than twice-a-week due to rising fuel costs; large garbage trucks get about two miles to the gallon.

“The rate reduction made possible by dropping from twice-a-week to once-a-week is universally disappointing. Believe it or not, the cost difference between twice-a-week garbage pickup and once-a-week pickup is only about $2.00 per month. This is true not just of ECUA but of all garbage collectors,” the District 5 ECUA board member said.

Walker said the Town of Century has always had once-a-week service, and that he was recently told by a town official recently that Century officials receive no complaints that the level of service is insufficient to meet household needs.

ECUA’s service will also include the pickup yard debris such as grass clippings and small limbs cut to four foot lengths.  Special pickups will be made of bulky items such as refrigerators and sofas at no charge. For the bulky item pickups, customers will be required to call ECUA and request the service.

As for the recyclables pickup, participation will not be mandatory.  Customers that do not wish to recycle will not be required to do so. Those that do can continue to recycle in their current manner.

“On the other hand, use of the recyclables collection will help most households to reduce the volume into their regular garbage to a manageable level,” Walker said.

“One NorthEscambia.com reader asked for information about what ECUA will do with the collected recyclables,” Walker stated.  “Part of the multi-faceted agreement between ECUA and Allied is that Allied will buy ECUA’s collected recyclables.  Allied will then dispose of these materials by selling them in the recyclables markets.  The revenue that ECUA will gain from the sell of recyclables to Allied will offset about three-fourths of ECUA’s cost of collecting recyclables.”

Walker said he invites NorthEscambia.com readers with comments or questions to contact him directly by emailing  larry@larrywalker.com or calling 723-6094.

Comments

4 Responses to “ECUA To Revisit Trash Pickup, Recycling Program Set To Begin In January In North Escambia”

  1. Jay on November 10th, 2008 4:20 pm

    A second 90 galon can for recycleables to be picked up once a week? I don’t know anyone that produces that much paper and plastic to justify having such a large can for that. So, it really isn’t getting the same service that you have now because limited type of items can only be put into the “other” can. Just what exactly will ECUA pick up in this “free” can. Oh that’s right, it’s not free anymore because now it going to cost you $.75 per month.

    This gets worse everytime ECUA meets. The bottom line is whatever ECUA does, it is going to cost you more in the end. I can’t wait to see how much the fuel surcharge is going to go down this quarter since gas prices have fallen.

    Rember the election is over. BOHICA!

  2. Concerned on November 10th, 2008 3:12 pm

    How many happy customers did you survey Mr. Walker? We never had a problem with our trash pickup and nobody ask us if we wanted to change. I assume that you made up your mind without everyones opinion. I was very satisfied with the service and I don’t think that the service should have been changed just because of the complaints you got, not without asking others. I guess change is the name of the game of politics now.

  3. Larry Walker on November 10th, 2008 7:42 am

    Bill,
    First, with respect to number of cans to put out, current service is two cans per week. In the likely new program, the household that subscribes to recyclables collection will have two cans per week to put out. Two cans = two cans.
    With respect to weight of the cans, the total volume taken to the roadside will be unchanged, for most households.
    With respect to the fullness of the cans, there should be, again, no net change.
    In conclusion, I fail to see that the burden of getting cans to the road will be any greater than it is now.
    The price for two cans (one for garbage and one for recyclables) that I am thinking of proposing on Nov. 10 will be $18.27, a reduction from the current $19.62. The household that turns down the recyclables collection service will pay $17.52.
    I do not suggest that ECUA’s new service program will be perfect for every household. I KNOW, in fact, that it will not be. I continue to solicit opinions and questions. My email address is larry@larrywalker.com.

  4. Bill on November 9th, 2008 3:15 pm

    HOW CAN A 60, 70, 80 OR 90 YEAR OLD PERSON GET TWO 90 GAL. FULL CANS TO THE CURB WHEN THEY LIVE 500 OR MORE FEET AWAY ????

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News