Recycling Pickup Schedule to Change on May 1st, 2020
In the wake of Rye's purchase of new garbage trucks, the city is working to optimize routing and collection of various types of waste. In a memo last Friday to the city manager, the city engineer Ryan Coyne reports a change in the recycling pickup schedule, effective May 1st.
"Starting May 1, residents will be required recycle pulp on their first garbage day of the week and commingled on their second garbage/ bulk day of the week. Currently, residents recycle both pulp and commingled items on the same day. All other collections including garbage, bulk, greenwaste, etc. will remain unchanged.," according to the Coyne memo.
"Pulp" is newspaper, corrugated and other paper. "Commingled" is glass, metals and plastic.
Read the full memo below.
(PHOTO: Ryan Coyne, city engineer.)
Interoffice Memorandum
To: Greg Usry, City Manager
From: Ryan Coyne, City Engineer
Date: February 21, 2020
Subject: Implementation of Adjustments to Residential Recycling Pickup
As you are aware, in connection with the recent acquisition of new sanitation vehicles, staff and the City Council engaged in a multi-year discussion regarding the collection methods and frequency of residential sanitation and recycling pickups. Currently, the City offers twice-per- week rearyard garbage collection, once-per-week curbside bulk garbage collection, and once- per-week curbside collection of both pulp (paper and cardboard) and comingled (cans and bottles) recyclables. Additionally, the City collects greenwaste, metal, and electronics goods from the curb on non-holiday weeks.
Prior to the purchase of the new vehicles and at the request of the Council, staff presented various options to modify collection of waste products in an effort to optimize service efficiencies, staffing levels, and capital expenditures. Many options were considered including reducing collection frequency (once per week garbage collection), eliminating rearyard garbage pickup, use of automated collection vehicles, privatization, and various combinations thereof.
After a lengthy discussion, staff was directed to purchase the current fleet of rear load refuse collection vehicles and the vehicles have been in service since last fall.
The trucks were purchased with the understanding that the collection days for curbside recycling pickup would require a modest adjustment. Starting May 1, residents will be required recycle pulp on their first garbage day of the week and commingled on their second garbage/ bulk day of the week. Currently, residents recycle both pulp and comingled items on the same day. All other collections including garbage, bulk, greenwaste, etc. will remain unchanged.
Over the next few weeks, the City will begin the process of disseminating information to residents regarding the changes.
