Districts consider new collection bins

Lantana residents may soon have their recycle bins supersized. But the new blue carts will cost a little more green.

The two Fresh Water Supply District boards at their August meetings considered a proposal from Waste Management to increase the size of recycling containers from the current 18-gallon bin to a 64-gallon roll cart. Recycling pickup would remain at once a week on Fridays.

The costs associated with rolling out the new carts would add 73 cents to customer’s bills each month, according to Waste Management spokesperson John Klaiber. In addition, the automatic two-percent annual rate increase tied to the Consumer Price Index is 27 cents this coming fiscal year, totaling a one dollar per month increase.

Klaiber said the cost of the new containers – pegged at around $50 – is a “pass through” and Waste Management would not make a profit from them, thus he requested a two-year extension of their contract with the district. The district is currently in year three of a five year agreement with the refuse hauler.

District staff recommended that the boards accept the offer, citing the good service that Waste Management has provided, increased recycling by residents with the larger containers, less trash in the streets from overfilled bins that do not have tops on them and a favorable response to the larger cans by a majority of residents who were informally polled at the district office when they stopped by to pay their water bills during the previous two weeks.

Lantana General Manager Kevin Mercer added that many residents have requested additional bins over the years due to the increasing amount of household recycling and the small capacity of the current containers.

District #6 board member Max Miller remarked that finding a spot in the garage to put a 96-gallon trash can and a 64-gallon recycle cart may be challenging for some residents.

Klaiber addressed his concern, saying that once the rollout is complete, Waste Management would accommodate individual resident’s requests for smaller bins.

In the end, Fresh Water District #7 board members voted in favor of the new bins, while the District #6 board voted 2 to 1 for the proposal but could not get a majority vote due to two board members being absent.  The item was tabled until the next District #6 meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 1.

If passed, the new rates will go into effect on Oct. 1, with residents seeing the increase on their November bills.