[Durham INC] waste confusion...

[Jenn S.]

Randy, I want to open with my appreciation for the tons of work you  
do. Neighborhood hero is a well deserved title that you've been  
awarded in the past, and your willingness to speak up when you see  
something that seems wrong is the kind of attitude that I revel in on  
my relatively recent move to Durham. While I also have questions about  
the ultimate destinations of the waste we generate, I'd like to  
provide my view on some of your listed items.

I can't speak to the bulky item pickup as I didn't see any out in my  
neighborhood this past week, or it was mostly picked up. I certainly  
hope that the the bulky items you fielded questions about are  
primarily yard waste and not items that could be taken to Goodwill,  
Habitat, or another charitable organization.

I'm not really sure why there is such a problem with the bi-weekly  
pickup schedule. With all the complaints about the number of carts on  
the curbs, I would suspect that it would be welcome that there would  
be fewer out. If it is particularly difficult to remember, people can  
put it out every week, or for those with electronic calendars, pop it  
into there. I know I have my trash added it so I remember to put it  
out the night before since my pickup usually happens very early. Pop  
the paper calendar up near your inside recycling bin, and if you've  
lost it or torn it up in a fit of anger, you can get a pdf from the  
FAQ page: http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/solid/recycle_curb_collection.cfm

As for the townhomes, they largely produce less waste than single  
family residences, and their higher density makes it much more  
difficult for them to store the large bins. So they are prioritized  
for getting the smaller bins. The weekly pickup you mention for  
downtown seems to only be for those businesses that fit within  
guidelines below a certain amount of waste. Businesses are even less  
likely to be able to store the large recycling bins and the bins could  
interfere with sidewalk access in some parts of downtown. Many of the  
businesses down there must contract for separate recycling pickup.

Older residents are encouraged to apply for exempt status. If they  
already have exempt status for their other carts, they are already on  
the priority list for the smaller carts. Alternately, I can only  
imagine that in our highly connected and friendly neighborhoods, a  
neighbor may be willing to assist with the roll out until such time as  
their exemption is cleared or the smaller carts are available. The  
form is available here:
http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/solid/pdf/exempt_form.pdf

As for the yard waste carts having to be placed out the same morning  
as garbage, but not being service until the next day, I agree with  
have no idea what they are thinking and wholly agree with that seeming  
like a pretty odd request. I've heard the bit about the garbage pickup  
people noting where yard waste is set out to better plan for pickup,  
but it sounds like a system with a huge chance for failure and  
confusion.

I look forward to the solid waste division providing information on  
the path our recyclables take. It is unfortunate that the information  
isn't already available.

Regarding the data about the "50% increase" well, we all know numbers  
can be manipulated, but I'll disagree about the bins vs people  
recycling. The three of us in this house easily filled the small  
recycling bin to over flowing  in a week. I could see any number of  
people opting to throw things that aren't on the required list into  
the trash just so they would have more space in that small bin. The  
extra space in the large bin, coupled with the security that lighter  
items won't blow away may well get the more lackadaisical  recyclers  
to pony up.

I find it unfortunate that you feel as if Durham is providing you with  
a disservice. With the standardization of bins the equipment used to  
service them can also be standardized. None of it will happen  
immediately, and there will be errors. Heck, I completely blanked this  
first week that it wasn't my week to put my bin out and I put it out.  
Brought it back the next morning when I realized my error. I apologize  
to my neighbors that may have felt they had to look at my unsightly  
blue cart.

Perhaps we should just go back to the good old days where extra  
garbage got dropped in bags next to the smaller trash cans, animals  
ripped into them and scattered food scraps along the street and  
garbage collectors suffered wretched backs and nasty cuts from sharp  
objects in the bags they had to pick up by hand.

Jennifer Skahen
Gattis St, Burch Ave Neighborhood

On Jul 20, 2009, at 12:31 AM, RW Pickle wrote:

> If you get around town as I do, you couldn't help but notice the  
> confusion
> in cans, days, bins, colors, folks are having across town. Does this  
> look
> like a City in a waste confusion to you?
>
> Over here, we averaged a 58% failure rate in picking up what we were  
> told
> was going to be picked up (66% on the east side and 50% on the west  
> side;
> they are picked up on 2 different days). I fielded questions from
> neighbors all weekend. You guess that means that the 3 bulky items we
> could set out last week (that didn't get picked up) can grow to 6 this
> week? Maybe if missed this week, we can do it monthly and put 12  
> items at
> the curb.. And we've yet to get to our appointed new recyclable can  
> pick
> up week which is this week. I can just see it now...
>
> But what irks me is that while neighborhoods have to deal with  
> recycling
> on an every-other-week schedule, those folks living downtown get  
> theirs
> picked up just like it has always been; weekly. Now that hardly  
> seems fair
> to me. What makes them so special and makes the rest of us have to
> remember some bizarre schedule? You think neighborhoods are less
> deserving? If you read the press release that was sent out, it's  
> like you
> need a calendar marked-up to remember. Here is what some of it said  
> (in
> case you missed it):
>
> "Since the new recycling roll-out carts are significantly larger  
> than the
> old bin, recycling collection will now occur every other week on the  
> same
> day citizens receive solid waste collection.  Garbage collection in  
> the
> green roll-out carts will still be every week."
>
> It also tells us that there are actually 3 different sizes of carts
> available but unavailable to single family homes until sometime down  
> the
> road. So what are our older residents supposed to do with this  
> heavy, big
> new blue/red cart? Wait? Why should condos and townhomes have more  
> choice
> than the rest of us do?
>
> "The new curbside recycling program isn’t the only change occurring  
> next
> week.  The bulky item collection program will now be offered on a  
> weekly
> basis."
>
> "Yard waste collection customers will also need to take note of a new
> collection schedule beginning Monday.  The brown roll-out carts should
> still be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. the same day as the weekly  
> garbage
> collection in the green roll-out carts."
>
> "Friday garbage, recycling, and yard waste customers should now set  
> their
> carts out on Wednesday."
>
> So we enacted ordinances to get carts off the right-of-way in a timely
> manner (even suggested by the Appearance Commission I believe), yet  
> Solid
> Waste says we need to get the carts and bulky items out there so  
> they can
> sit for a day and show the rest of the world how many trash cans we  
> rent
> from a company that now controls ALL our waste carts (or so you'd
> think...).
>
> INC supported rolling out a city-wide yard waste program a few years  
> ago
> but the purchase of the additional roll out carts held it up. Yet we  
> can
> roll out a city-wide recycling program and we have yet to hear what is
> actually happening to our recyclables (want to bet their going to a
> Virginia landfill like the yard waste and the green cart waste...).  
> As of
> the Wednesday before the program rolled out (last week), The  
> Director told
> me that no contract had been signed to do anything with the  
> recyclables.
> So we roll out a city-wide program with all these expensive carts  
> (that we
> rent) and we don't have a clue what we're doing with them once they  
> are
> picked up? I understand that when the question was raised to the  
> Director
> at last week's PAC2 meeting, the answer was vague to say the least. I
> think we should know what is happening with our recyclables; all of  
> them.
> Where are they going, who is involved, and exactly what the deal is.  
> After
> all, it's our tax dollars that are at work here.
>
> I'd also like to see the data where Solid Waste determined (as they  
> have
> said in the press and is written on the sheet that comes with your new
> recyclables cart) that "in a pilot program, recyclable materials  
> increased
> by 50%". I say that's hooey! Carts don't recycle, people do. And  
> having a
> new cart can't lend itself to a 50% increase. That dog just don't  
> hunt...
> If you or your neighborhood was part of this "pilot program". I'd  
> like to
> talk to you. TFC (the previous recycling contractor) once told me  
> that our
> neighborhood was model neighborhood because of how much we recycle. I
> guess the pilot program wouldn't want to use a "model neighborhood"  
> for a
> test.
>
> We'll see how it goes this week. I'd like to hear from others as to  
> how
> they see it working. Are there bins and carts out in your  
> neighborhood on
> the curb? As I drive around the City, I see the confusion. A 58%  
> failure
> rate over here tells me we can't be alone... City Council made  
> recycling
> mandatory 12 years ago. I'd be willing to bet that not one citation  
> (or
> left-at-the-curb-un-emptied cart) has ever happened. Just put your
> recyclables in black plastic bags (another worthless ordinance) and  
> no one
> will ever know... Or maybe this is all just a ploy to finally give the
> enforcement person INC fought so hard to get (and Solid Waste  
> sissyfied
> our pit bull) a shot in the arm with all of the carts left at the  
> curbs
> and the tickets he can write. Is this cart/schedule confusion really  
> a new
> revenue generating tool to help out the budget? Inquiring minds want  
> to
> know...
>
> RWP
> 27 Beverly
>
>
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