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Refuse
Collection Pilot Project
[Sept. 2007]
The neighborhood has been experiencing a continuation of the service originated in the City Refuse Pilot Project since the closing of that program in January 2007. What service to implement on a City-wide service has become a contentious issue within the City government. The Mayor and Council engaged in lengthy and contentious discussions on the issue; in the meantime our refuse was continued to be collected in the same manner. Early in the summer, that body decided to embrace most of the pilot service operations while keeping a twice weekly pick-up frequency. So service for the Hungerford Neighborhood will remain practically the same with an additional pick-up on Thursdays. Each household will receive notice about precise change over dates to twice weekly service and how holidays will be handled. Note, one change in service added is that all recycling materials (paper, cardboard, cans and bottles) can now go into the brown recycling containers all together ("comingled"). The blue bins for cans and bottles are no longer needed and can be reused by households or deposited curbside for pick-up with the trash.
[Jan. 2007]
The refuse collection pilot project is complete. Participants to a follow-up survey showed their support for the new refuse collection methods by a wide margin. The City is now evaluating whether and how to expand this service City-wide. Considerable public discussion has arisen regarding changes to refuse service. In response, the Mayor and Council are holding a public hearing on the matter, Feb. 20th (Tues.), during a City Council Meeting. Anyone wishing to offer their observations or opinions are welcome to testify.
Click here for more information on the hearing.
[March 2006]
The City refuse collection pilot project will start with its first pick-up under new procedures and with new containers on March 20th. Containers will be distributed during the week of March 13th.
Public information sessions will be held (Sat) March 11, 9:00 am at Elwood Smith Comm. Center and (Tues.) March 14, 7:00 pm at City Hall. Or click this link for more on-line information.
The pilot project will run through calendar year 2006. Official evaluation will occur in the fall of 2006 with report due in December, in time for decision to continue the new refuse procedures or change, by the end-of-year culmination of the pilot project.
[December, 2006]
The Hungerford area is designated for a pilot project of new City trash collection service. The City will provide new standardized 96-gallon trash containers (on wheels) and a second recycle bin for paper and cardboard. Pick-up will shift to once a week (day to be determined), yet it will always be picked-up each week, even if shifted to another day due to holiday interruption. Residents must move their containers to curbside. Anyone that can show a need for continuing "back door" service, can obtain it. Semi-automated vehicles will be used.
The need for this is to combat rising costs. The focus is to do so in ways that minimally impact critical service and convenience aspects of current service.
For more information contact the City of Rockville, Department of Public Works at 240-314-5000 or Dwayne Jenkins, Neighborhood Resource Coord., at 240-314-8343 or by e-mail.
Also, click here for Rockville Gazette article on this subject. Or, see City press release below.
[City of Rockville, News Release]
Rockville Will Try Pilot Program for Modernizing
Refuse Collection
Starting in March, 778 Households Will Begin Program
Of Once-Per-Week Pickups With City-Provided Containers
ROCKVILLE, Md., December 2, 2005—Rockville’s Mayor and Council this week unanimously approved a limited pilot program that would modernize the City’s refuse collection program for 778 designated households. Those homes would be provided 96-gallon refuse containers that should easily hold a week’s worth of refuse. Their collections would be reduced from twice to once per week.
The
pilot program will give the City and its residents an opportunity to study a
more-efficient collection method that would help stabilize the spiraling costs
of collecting refuse. The pilot program would eliminate backyard collections,
which are offered by less than five percent of jurisdictions nationally. The
containers that will be supplied to each household will enable the City to use
semi-automated refuse trucks.
It
is estimated that if all refuse collections in Rockville were conducted under
the provisions of the pilot program, the City would save approximately $381,000
annually. Refuse rates increased by 8.8 percent in FY 2005 and by 6.3 percent in
FY 2006 to $29.50 per month. However, with the new system, it is projected
annual increases from FY 2008 through FY 2014 would be limited to between 1.5
percent and 2.5 percent. If the current system was kept in tact, it is estimated
the monthly collection fee would by $40.50 per month in 2014, but under the
proposed modern system, the fee would be an estimated $35 per month per
household.
The
City elected to try the pilot program after a March 2005 survey of 1,065
households conducted for the City’s Department of Public Works showed that 72
percent of all respondents were supportive of the City making decisions that
would keep refuse rates down. In the survey, 76 percent of respondents supported
elimination of backdoor service to control rate increases and 55 percent
supported once-a-week collections if provided with a large, wheeled trash cart.
The
nine-month pilot program will begin in March. The City will conduct a survey
midway through the program and another at the end of the program to gain
residents’ evaluations and see if there are ways to improve.
The Mayor and Council would then evaluate the results and determine if
the program should be expanded.
The
pilot program would significantly cover the Hungerford and Monument
neighborhoods—and would include the households of two members of the Mayor and
Council (Mayor Larry Giammo and Councilmember Susan Hoffmann). The City
coordinated with the respective neighborhood civic associations and will embark
on a major public information campaign to inform residents of the impending
program.
Not
only would residents in the pilot receive 96-gallon wheeled refuse containers,
they also will receive 64-gallon carts for mixed paper recycling and 22-gallon
bins for commingled recycling (such as bottles and cans).
Rockville’s
Director of Public Works Craig Simoneau said the new program will have many
benefits. The elimination of backdoor service, combined with semi-automated
trucks, will lesson injuries to workers. He also noted that since recycling
items must be brought to the curb, but refuse can be left in backyard
containers, some people are not inspired to recycle because it is easier to
leave recycle-eligible items mixed with refuse. The City must pay Montgomery
County a tipping fee per ton of refuse, but no fee is charged for commingled and
paper recyclables.
In
addition, the bigger containers will control the amount of loose refuse and
recycled paper that could blow around if left in undersized containers currently
used by some homeowners. This will keep neighborhoods cleaner and make it easier
for residents to prepare the refuse and recycle to be set out.
“This
is not just a cost issue, it also is an environmental issue,” Simoneau told
the Mayor and Council. “We believe it is the right thing to do for
everyone.”
“I
see this as a pilot, and whether we end up with once a week or twice a week
service, at least we will have some information on which to make a decision,”
said Councilmember Phyllis Marcuccio.
Mayor
Giammo said, “I am looking forward to getting my bins.”
Copyright © 200
7, Hungerford Civic Assoc.
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Last updated: Sept. 16, 2007.