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The city of Charlotte will spend nearly $12 million this year to buy 310,000 95-gallon rollout recycling containers - part of its switch this summer to “single-stream recycling.”
Starting July 1, city residents will place their recyclables in the large containers instead of the smaller red bins used today. Recyclables will be picked up every two weeks instead of the current weekly schedule.
Not picking up recyclables as often will save taxpayers $12 million over five years.
Residents will begin receiving their 95-gallon containers next month. People can opt out, and elect to keep using their small red bins.
The Charlotte City Council Monday approved a contract with Otto Environmental Systems, the low-bidder. The ten-year contract calls for the city to buy 210,000 containers this year, and then 10,000 containers annually for the next decade.
Despite not having recyclables being picked up weekly, the city is touting the change as being good for residents. The larger containers can hold more recyclables, meaning that residents don’t have to keep multiple red bins.
Under the new contract, people can now recycle aerosol cans and all plastics except styrofoam.
Council members last fall awarded the recycling contract to Texas-based Inland, which bid $25.8 million over seven years. The other firm considered, Fort Mill-based Allied Waste Services, bid $66.5 million.
The vast difference between the two bids was in how the companies would ensure that no more than 10 percent of material accepted is garbage that can’t be recycled.
In today’s city-run collection, workers sort recyclables at the curb and often won’t accept material that can’t be recycled, such as pizza boxes or garden hoses.
Inland’s plan is to have a worker flip the lid of the large can and look inside for garbage. They also will make a cursory weight estimate. If it appears to weigh too much, the can might not be accepted.
The company said it wouldn’t charge the city extra for limiting garbage "contamination." Allied Waste said it would cost $30.7 million
