Choose Your Cart -- Choose Your Rate -- December 2003

New 64-gallon recycling containers will begin replacing blue bins in February, as the Village prepares to launch a new program to encourage more recycling and tie monthly residential refuse hauling rates to the amount of garbage set out for pickup.

All homeowners will receive the new larger, recycling carts, but only those who take advantage of a new garbage-reduction program will receive a smaller garbage cart, and can take advantage of a lower hauling rate. The new garbage cart, available only upon request, will hold the same 64 gallons as the new recycling cart, which is about one-third less than the current 96-gallon garbage container.

The new pay-for-use program was created as a new contract with the Village's private refuse hauler, set to go into effect in January, will require the first residential refuse hauling rate adjustment in three years. While the new contract would require an across-the-board increase of $4 per month for residential properties of five or fewer units, under this new Village recycling initiative, property owners who are willing to increase recycling and opt for the smaller garbage cans will see their rates increase only by $1.50 per month. The new rates are scheduled to go into effect in March.

Property owners who toss less and recycle more will pay lower fees because they will be helping to reduce costs associated with landfills, which are among the most costly factors in municipal refuse hauling programs. As landfill space continues to shrink, disposal costs will naturally increase as companies must pay more and travel further to disposal sites. By encouraging property owners to reduce their garbage through more aggressive recycling, the Village hopes to keep costs associated with refuse hauling services as low as possible.

To request a new, smaller garbage cart, call 358.5700 or email the information on the form to the Public Works Department. The electronic form can be filled out and sent directly to the Public Works Department. Only owners of single-family homes and multifamily residential buildings of five or fewer units qualify for the new program.

Request a New, Smaller Garbage Container

• Glass bottles and jars (all colors)

• Steel, aluminum and bi-metal cans

• Plastics – check for these numbers on or near the bottom of the container:

#1 PETE (plastic soft drink bottles)

#2 HDPE (milk or water jugs, detergent bottles)

#3 PVC narrow neck containers like household cleaners, health and beauty products

#4 LDPE (margarine tubs and plastic rings from beverage cans)

#5 PP (yogurt cups, narrow neck syrup and ketchup bottles)

#7 OTHER (plastic resin grocery narrow neck containers)

• Aluminum foil and formed containers

• Empty paint cans

• Empty aerosol cans

• Newspapers and inserts

• Magazines

• Telephone books

• Paperback books

• Chipboard (cereal and cracker boxes)

• Wet-strength cardboard (beverage cartons)

• Junk mail

• Office paper

• Gift wrapping paper

• Brown paper grocery bags

• Corrugated cardboard (place small pieces in the cart; cut and flatten larger pieces into three-foot-square pieces and place next to cart)

Prepare jars & containers for collection by rinsing and discarding all lids.

For more information on the recycling program call 358.5700 or email publicworks@oak-park.us.

Large recycling carts offer range of benefits

As the familiar blue recycling bins are replaced beginning in February with new, larger carts with wheels and lids, residents will be better able to take full advantage of the latest "single-stream" collection approach that eliminates the need to separate recyclables. Single-stream programs allow all recyclable materials, whether paper, glass, plastic, aluminum or most metal containers, to be tossed into the same collection vessel, with separation occurring at the recycling sorting center.

The Village's move to larger recycling bins coincides with modest, but steady, increases in the amount of recyclables collected in Oak Park over the past five years. The range of containers that can be recycled has grown, too, and now includes containers such as those from household cleaners, beauty products and grocery items. The growing amount and expanding range of recyclables, coupled with greater consumer awareness, has led to an increasing number of requests from residents for more than one blue bin as well, a step that will no longer be necessary once the new, larger bins are distributed.

In addition to providing more space for recyclables, the new carts have wheels, which will make it easier for residents to get their recyclables to the collection point. The new carts also will have lids that should help reduce litter by keeping out animals and eliminating wind-blown paper. In addition, the new carts will allow haulers to use automatic lifts for quicker and more efficient collections.

For more information on the Village's recycling and refuse recycling programs call 358.5700 or email publicworks@oak-park.us.

<< BACK TO HOME | PAGE 1 >>