Trash Removal

[imoldernu]

We recently changed from trash pick up of our own barrels or bags, to automatic/automated pick-up of 90 gallon containers provided by the Waste Management pick up service. One container for trash, one for recyclables. Trash picked up every week, recyclables every other week.

No increase in our cost.

Big containers, on wheels, that are easy to bring to the curb. A little more space in the garage, but it works perfectly. Some smaller containers for older or low usage families. Ours is like the first one shown in the video. So far, no spills, no problems, no complaints and the whole town seems quite happy with the service.

in our section of town, no parking on the streets.

How are waste and recyclables handled in your town?

 

[Which Roger]

Same as yours. The switchover occurred several years ago.

 

[njhowie]

We have to contract with the disposal company directly - there are 3 or 4 of them that service our neighborhood. We switched to Waste Management a year or so after we moved in because they made it easy...included a pre-addressed post card to the old company and their rates were lower. But then...they turned into the cable company of trash pickup - continually raising the prices and fees once or twice a year. It really got out of hand. When we finally switched about 6 years ago our rate went down by 50% and has not gone up since.

We have the 90 gallon bin on wheels like yours with once a week pickup. However, it's an old family run company that still uses the old style truck with a driver and a guy hanging on the back that manually empties it into the rear.

Recycling is handled by the township. It's curbside pickup every other week. There is also a recycling company locally which takes electronics, TVs, computers, and the sort where you can drive by and drop off any time during the week.

 

[Ginny]

Same here is Murrells Inlet, South Carolina and in San Diego, CA which we just left. The woman who owned our home before us took her trash to the dump herself about 5 minutes away.

 

[Walt34]

A private company handles trash pickup here. Apple Valley Waste was what we started with when we moved, and we have no complaints. They do it the old style, no automatic trucks. They've been very reliable and priced reasonably. I don't even know if there is an alternative service except for taking it to the dump yourself, which I don't want to do.

 

[Red Badger]

We get three 90 gallon cans (garbage, yard waste, recycle). The recycle can is every other week and ours is usually full.

Side comment. Our garbage service is baked into local taxes. When we lived in GA, one had to contract (and pay) directly. Every dumpster needed a padlock and every vacant lot was a landfill. I don't miss that. I hate taxes as much as the next citizen, but they have their place.

 

[aaronc879]

We have had that for years. I thought that was the norm nationwide. I am small town in Wisconsin, surprised we beat anyone to this technology and service.

 

[RE2Boys]

We got the big containers less than a year ago when our township re-competed the trash contract and a smaller regional company won. The losing bidder was Waste Management. The difference was the regional company offered giving everyone the big containers for free.

It's great. Our previous city in Alabama switched to these containers and automated trucks about 20 years ago.

 

[Ronstar]

We recently switched to a new company - now have two 90 gallon wheeled containers - garbage and recycle. Trash and recyclables both once a week on the same day. Either push the containers down our 800’ driveway to the street, or I load them into my truck using ramps and drive them down. Unless they are really full , I can unload them out of my truck without the ramps. But the 90 gallon cans are a pita.

 

[CardsFan]

We have a similar service (Republic Services). We chose smaller containers and saved a few bucks. Both trash and recycle are picked up every week. $36.36 for 3 months. A bargain, in my opinion.

FYI, if you have more in some weeks. No problem. They will pick up the bags.

 

[aja8888]

Weekly pickup of trash and recyclables. Part of our HOA fee and they use the 90 gallon containers like at the OP's.

 

[zinger1457]

We have to contract with the disposal company directly - there are 3 or 4 of them that service our neighborhood. We switched to Waste Management a year or so after we moved in because they made it easy...included a pre-addressed post card to the old company and their rates were lower. But then...they turned into the cable company of trash pickup - continually raising the prices and fees once or twice a year. It really got out of hand. When we finally switched about 6 years ago our rate went down by 50% and has not gone up since.

Same experience with Waste Management and price increases and initially, like a cable company, they were the only kid on the block so we were stuck with it. Luckily a small local company now offers the same service at a better and stable price, no increase in 3 years.

 

[Alan]

We get three 90 gallon cans (garbage, yard waste, recycle). The recycle can is every other week and ours is usually full.

Side comment. Our garbage service is baked into local taxes.

Sounds exactly the same as us except that the garbage can is also every other week. The recycle and garden waste bin is usually full and the garbage can is usually only half full.

 

[LauAnn]

Two bins are provided free. No charge to have the recyclables picked up. Instead of a $45 quarterly charge for trash you can choose a $5 per bag rate. Instead of using the bags, however, I transport my small amount of trash and deposit it in Mom's container (as do my two brothers). Thereby saving the cost of the bags. Yeah, we're cheap. Then again, I figure I've saved well over $1,000 in quarterly charges thus far. Once Mom passes, I'll use the bags.

 

[jazz4cash]

Are some of you that contract directly saying that multiple companies service the same neighborhood ? How does that work for coordinating pickup days? The county here issues the contract to private refuse companies which are responsible for a large area.

 

[Ronstar]

Are some of you that contract directly saying that multiple companies service the same neighborhood ? How does that work for coordinating pickup days? The county here issues the contract to private refuse companies which are responsible for a large area.

We have 3 garbage companies in our area. They each have their own day of the week for garbage pickup. And the containers for each company are a little different.

 

[wmc1000]

3 companies service our neighborhood. We switched companies about 8 years ago and saved about 1/3 over the original company. Additionally, we like it as the current company picks up on Monday where the original company did Friday pickups.



Before retiring we always had more trash accumulate over the weekend and liked not having it sit all week.

 

[W2R]

We have a similar set-up to that described by Imoldernu.

Until about five years ago, we could just put a trash bag at the curb and it would be picked up twice a week. PERFECT for single people who don't make much trash.

Then we got the automated trash pickup, still twice a week, with wheeled trash cans like the big green one in the photo below. They hold quite a bit.

I preferred the old service but both have been just fine, really. SO much better than the trash service in other communities where I have lived.

 

[LuckyDog]

We have a privately owned facility nearby that recycles junk mail, newspapers, carboard, food bottles and cans etc.. They also accept returnable bottles and cans and refund your nickel for each one. Finally, they accept garbage at the senior rate of .12 per pound. So each week, I drop off the recyclables, collect about 35 nickels for the returnables, use those nickels to pay for the garbage (maybe 8 pounds per week), and come home with a buck or so in my pocket. This place is extremely busy...

 

[Ronstar]

Looks like W2R keeps her container outside. We’ve always kept ours in the garage. Curious where others keep their containers.

 

[REWahoo]

Looks like W2R keeps her container outside. We’ve always kept ours in the garage. Curious where others keep their containers.

Garbage poll?

 

[Ronstar]

Garbage poll?

I’ll start one.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

We have private garbage service which initiated recyclables pickup a couple of years ago. I'm not sure what it costs, but it's not free and one has to purchase clear garbage bags to put the recyclables in. However, it's only about one mile to a county recycling center which is free. I can't imagine why the neighbors pay to have their recycling picked up, but at least half of them do.

 

[JoeWras]

Sounds exactly the same as us except that the garbage can is also every other week. The recycle and garden waste bin is usually full and the garbage can is usually only half full.

This method, and the automated trucks, seem to be heading to a worldwide standard. The colors of the bins, however, are frustratingly inconsistent.

 

[RobbieB]

Decades ago. (3) 90 gal bins, yard waste, recycles, trash.