Whitehall distributing carts for new waste-and-recycling program

ThisWeek group

Contractors with Curbside Cart Masters of Lector, Arkansas, unload new trash containers for the city of Whitehall's two-cart garbage-and-recycling program, which begins in January, at the city's public-services garage Dec. 7.

The city of Whitehall is rolling out its new two-cart waste-and-recycling program with fresh receptacles that will be delivered through Dec. 19.

The city began delivering the uniform containers to households Dec. 7.

Earlier this fall, residents were invited to select their garbage-cart sizes by choosing from among 95-, 65- or 35-gallon options; those who didn’t choose got a 95-gallon cart.

Meanwhile, all residents received a 65-gallon recycling container.

Previous story:Contract's renewal could bring uniformity to Whitehall trash, recycling collection

Previous story:Whitehall trash contract under consideration would include containers

Previous story:Double-barrel trash, recycling collection OK'd for Whitehall

Delivery of the containers to residents marks the implementation of the new “cart contents only” program with Local Waste Services LLC, with whom Whitehall City Council on Aug. 18 approved a five-year contract extension.

The program begins Jan. 6.

“I would say one of our main focuses and one of our main drivers is our waste diversion is so low compared with other communities,” said Megan Meyer, a Whitehall spokeswoman. “And so with the upgrade from their (former) 18-gallon totes to their 65-gallon carts, we really encourage residents to learn about what they can recycle curbside to make the most of their cart.”

Trash collection needed to change, too, Meyer said.

“Pretty much what happened previously on a garbage day, they could literally put out garbage in just a bag,” she said.

New and uniform trash and recycling containers are part of the city of Whitehall's two-cart program that begins in January. Stacks of them were being prepared for distribution to households Dec. 7 at the city's public-services garage.

The carts are free of charge because of more than $200,000 in grants from the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio and the Recycling Partnership, Meyer said.

Residents still will have to pay for the collection service, which includes recycling: $18.20 a month for the 95-gallon garbage container, $17.20 for 65 gallons and $16.20 for 35 gallons. The fees will be paid quarterly, Meyer said.

Previous estimates on container size had been 96-, 64- and 48-gallon options, but the contractor the city chose had slightly different dimensions, according to Meyer.

By giving residents an option on garbage-container size, they no longer have to pay the same flat fees, said Zach Woodruff, Whitehall's director of development and public services. Thus, in many cases, those who throw away less will have a smaller garbage container and, therefore, will pay less, he said.

“We’re increasing waste diversion, reducing litter and saving residents money,” Woodruff said. “That’s the trifecta for a public-service director.”

gseman@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekGary