At Tuesday's City Commission meeting, City Manager Jeff Pederson and members of the Engineering-Public Works Department presented the Mayor and Commissioners with an overview of a solid waste management plan for the City of Paducah that would incorporate residential curbside recycling.
At the direction of the City Commission, the City Manager and EPW began researching the feasibility of providing curbside recycling to Paducah’s 9562 residential customers with the objective of providing the service without raising rates, if possible.
Over the past few months, EPW officials talked with other city representatives to learn about the operation of their recycling programs, how they have modified over time, and their participation rates. The 2013 City of Paducah citizen survey showed 48 percent of the respondents were very interested in a curbside recycling program with all recyclables place in one collection bin.
EPW also reviewed the department’s existing collection equipment, the number of stops a collection truck can handle per day, and how that number differs depending upon the type of truck. A rear packer collection truck, which requires two workers, collects 350 rollouts per day. A side arm loader, which is operated by one employee, can collect 700 rollouts per day. Paducah currently operates mainly with rear packer trucks and has only two side-arm loaders. Due to the limited space in alleys, a side arm loader cannot be used in most alley situations.
EPW explained that to efficiently accomplish curbside recycling within the current rate structure, operational changes would be necessary, including changes to customer’s weekly collection days. The placement of rollout bins would also need to be moved from alleys to curbside across the city to allow side arm loader trucks to unload the bins.
If the plan goes forward, the city may have to purchase as many as three side arm refuse trucks and retire several of the rear packer trucks, and purchase a rollout for every residential account. Each residential account would have one 64-gallon rollout for trash and one 96-gallon rollout for recyclables. Each container would be collected weekly. Those who decide not to participate in recycling will still have a recycling rollout; however, it cannot be used for trash. The estimated initial cost for the trucks and refuse containers is $1.275 million.
EPW Operations Manager Chris Yarber says some workforce reductions could lower the initial expense of the program.
“We anticipate the trash and recycling services could be done with fewer people if we have the right equipment," Yarber said. "The reduction in personnel would be done through attrition.”
Once the necessary equipment is purchased, the annual increase to the city's budget would be nearly $90,000 per year.
The city is encouraging citizens to direct comments, questions, and suggestions to Public Information Officer Pam Spencer at pspencer@paducahky.gov or 270-444-8669.
To view the 34-minute presentation click the link below.
On the Net:
City Commission Presentation Video
