MONROE - Recycling bins will not be a budgetary item in Monroe this year, but Director of Public Works Kelly Finkenbinder wants to look at ways of making it happen.
"The benefit to using bins is that it should use less personnel to pick up, and less chance of injuries," Finkenbinder said.
It would do no good for residents to buy the bins on their own now, as a "green" measure.
"I appreciate the thought," Finkenbinder said about one resident's inquiry into purchasing his own bin. "It would save money on bags."
Monroe residents now bag their recyclables.
Finkenbinder said the city has looked into purchasing 4,500 bins to supply each residence with one, plus a few spares for replacements. But even bought in bulk, the bins cost about $50 each, or about $225,000 for the city.
Implementing a recycling bin program takes many steps.
"Basically, it's all or none, because the trucks aren't really made for the guys to dump bins," Finkenbinder said.
The trucks' platforms onto which recycling bags are tossed are about stomach height. Bins would need to be dumped, and their weight prohibits that.
So, in addition to the cost of bins, the truck that picks up recyclables needs to be outfitted with an arm to hoist the bins; that costs another $5,000.
If the city went to using bins for trash pickup also, the garbage truck would also need a hoisting arm.
If the city used bins for recycling and trash, the bins would need to be different colors. Having residents purchase their own bins now would result in a variety of colors, and perhaps more confusion at pickup time.
What size bins would be needed is another question. A single resident wouldn't need the same size a family would use. Finkenbinder said he would get public input about which sizes are needed.
The largest bins the city could buy are 50 gallons, and would allow the city to pick up less often. The city now picks up recycling once a week.
A period of public education would have to come with any program implementation. For ease of pickup, residents would need to learn where to place their bins along the curb and what to do in the case of snow, Finkenbinder said. Residents would also have to have a place to store their bins.
"The benefit to using bins is that it should use less personnel to pick up, and less chance of injuries," Finkenbinder said.
It would do no good for residents to buy the bins on their own now, as a "green" measure.
"I appreciate the thought," Finkenbinder said about one resident's inquiry into purchasing his own bin. "It would save money on bags."
Monroe residents now bag their recyclables.
Finkenbinder said the city has looked into purchasing 4,500 bins to supply each residence with one, plus a few spares for replacements. But even bought in bulk, the bins cost about $50 each, or about $225,000 for the city.
Implementing a recycling bin program takes many steps.
"Basically, it's all or none, because the trucks aren't really made for the guys to dump bins," Finkenbinder said.
The trucks' platforms onto which recycling bags are tossed are about stomach height. Bins would need to be dumped, and their weight prohibits that.
So, in addition to the cost of bins, the truck that picks up recyclables needs to be outfitted with an arm to hoist the bins; that costs another $5,000.
If the city went to using bins for trash pickup also, the garbage truck would also need a hoisting arm.
If the city used bins for recycling and trash, the bins would need to be different colors. Having residents purchase their own bins now would result in a variety of colors, and perhaps more confusion at pickup time.
What size bins would be needed is another question. A single resident wouldn't need the same size a family would use. Finkenbinder said he would get public input about which sizes are needed.
The largest bins the city could buy are 50 gallons, and would allow the city to pick up less often. The city now picks up recycling once a week.
A period of public education would have to come with any program implementation. For ease of pickup, residents would need to learn where to place their bins along the curb and what to do in the case of snow, Finkenbinder said. Residents would also have to have a place to store their bins.