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Thread: Totes are coming to Lancaster

  1. #301
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post
    I didn't either. I've been watching the WM truck going up and down the side streets along Central Ave.
    I don't see any out from my view.
    Next door neighbor took his out concurrent with this side pick. Some folks across the street have theirs' out now, waiting for pick-up.

    I got low volume, so it can wait. Better safe than sorry.

  2. #302
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mark blazejewski View Post
    Next door neighbor took his out concurrent with this side pick. Some folks across the street have theirs' out now, waiting for pick-up.

    I got low volume, so it can wait. Better safe than sorry.
    I'm using up some holidays and am off until Friday which means I'll be cleaning and tossing crap out.
    I can save it in my old totes and just add some each week to my new tote until it's gone.

    Georgia L Schlager

  3. #303
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Two of my neighbors just put their trash out. I'm putting mine out now and if it doesn't get picked up, I'll bring it back in.
    I think it's too late

    Georgia L Schlager

  4. #304
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    I'm going to have to stop at the town clerk's office on my way home from work tomorrow to purchase some garbage bag stickers.
    I filled my 95 gallon tote and one of my old 65 gallon totes.
    One thing I'm not going to do and that is weigh the bags

    Georgia L Schlager

  5. #305
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Put my trash out last night. While I was out shoveling this morning, I had to shake the snow off of my garbage bags so WM can see the stickers.

    Georgia L Schlager

  6. #306
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    In the article in the Lancaster Sun about the appointment of Acting Chief Karn, there was mention of issues with Modern Disposal
    doing business in town at 5:00am when they're are only permitted to commence business at 6:00am.

    I, also see the town's garbage disposal company -Waste Management doing business at commercial properties prior to 6:00 am

    Georgia L Schlager

  7. #307
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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post
    In the article in the Lancaster Sun about the appointment of Acting Chief Karn, there was mention of issues with Modern Disposal
    doing business in town at 5:00am when they're are only permitted to commence business at 6:00am.

    I, also see the town's garbage disposal company -Waste Management doing business at commercial properties prior to 6:00 am
    Thank you for sharing, Gorga.

    I received an email from an individual who shared that a Broadway business had placed three old, overfilled totes out for pickup and that on the following morning they had remained unemptied. It is good to hear that Waste Management (WM) is adhering to the policy of only picking up trash in town provided carts. It is unfortunate that extra carts will not be available for purchase and use until June.

    This is the fourth week our subdivision is using the new carts. Our trash pickup day has been changed and the hour of our pickup took place at 6:20 am; an hour earlier than usual. Even though WM mailed a brochure advising that trash is placed at the curb by 6 am, some residents did not have their carts out by that time and were missed. Our driver was courteous enough to pass by a second time and get those that were put out after they heard the truck pass by. A few still missed getting picked up

    I just received a neighbor’s call saying that she just had a new microwave installed. The company took away the old one but left the packaging. After placing the packaging in the new cart, just emptied of trash, she is complaining there is no room for trash. When I asked whether the packaging and Styrofoam had been cut into pieces, the reply was ‘no’. I advised her to cut and tie the materials and set them at the curb for the next recycle pickup, or for bulk pickup day. I hope that was the right advice to give.

    The new policy will be vexing for some during the transition period. The town did a terrible job of communicating the nuances to the public. At the same time, some common sense and cooperation from the public is expected. It is what it is – and for now, it sucks, especially for some acclimated to the old contract and where change is difficult. And where change will become more cumbersome and costly for some. Can you say, 'bulk'?

  8. #308
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Lee Chowaniec:
    I just received a neighbor’s call saying that she just had a new microwave installed. The company took away the old one but left the packaging. After placing the packaging in the new cart, just emptied of trash, she is complaining there is no room for trash. When I asked whether the packaging and Styrofoam had been cut into pieces, the reply was ‘no’. I advised her to cut and tie the materials and set them at the curb for the next recycle pickup, or for bulk pickup day. I hope that was the right advice to give.
    It would have to be for bulk day as Styrofoam is a no no for recycling.

    From the town site-

    What can I recycle?
    ANSWER: Please download WM’s Recycling menu. It is very important to Recycle Right and Recycle Often! WM will accept all paper, plastic tubs and containers and household metal cans and containers. PLEASE, do not put any Plastic Bags, Plastic Wraps, Waxed Boxboard and Foam (styrofoam) in your cart. A complete menu of acceptable recycling can be found here: pdf Recycling Guidelines (1.95 MB)

    Georgia L Schlager

  9. #309
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    After reading the following New York Times report on cities abandoning their recycling programs, I believe it imperative that the town explain to the community its reason for entering into a contract with Waste Management to include (and continue) its recycling program – regarding cost and environmental advantage.

    Limited to what we can now put into the recycle cart, cost of carts, collection and disposal fees, was a cost benefit analysis ever performed? What would be the environmental consequences should the recycling program be abandoned.? There is so little we know about why Waste Management was chosen (except for lower bidder) or of the contract itself. Supervisor Coleman repeatedly stated that we have to wait and see what they give us. Well Ms. Coleman, what did they give us?

    As recycling costs skyrocket across the U.S., more cities are abandoning their programs

    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/16/b...gtype=Homepage

    As costs skyrocket, more U.S. cities stop recycling

    Recycling, for decades an almost reflexive effort by American households and businesses to reduce waste and help the environment, is collapsing in many parts of the country.

    Philadelphia is now burning about half of its 1.5 million residents’ recycling material in an incinerator that converts waste to energy. In Memphis, the international airport still has recycling bins around the terminals, but every collected can, bottle and newspaper is sent to a landfill. And last month, officials in the central Florida city of Deltona faced the reality that, despite their best efforts to recycle, their curbside program was not working and suspended it.

    Those are just three of the hundreds of towns and cities across the country that have canceled recycling programs, limited the types of material they accepted or agreed to huge price increases.
    With fewer buyers, recycling companies are recouping their lost profits by charging cities more, in some cases four times what they charged last year.

    “Recycling has been dysfunctional for a long time,” said Mitch Hedlund, executive director of Recycle Across America, a nonprofit organization that pushes for more standardized labels on recycling bins to help people better sort material. “But not many people really noticed when China was our dumping ground.”

    Perhaps counterintuitively, the big winners appear to be the nation’s largest recyclers, like Waste Management and Republic Services, which are also large trash collectors and landfill owners.

    Recycling had been one of the least lucrative parts of their business, trailing hauling and landfills. Analysts say many waste companies had historically viewed recycling as a “loss leader,” offering the service largely to win over a municipality’s garbage business.

    The recycling companies say they cannot depend on selling used plastic and paper at prices that cover their processing costs, so they are asking municipalities to pay significantly more for their recycling services.

    Some companies are also charging customers additional “contamination” fees for recycled material that is mixed in with trash.

    The higher recycling fees, analysts say, will help bolster the largest companies’ already booming businesses. Waste Management reported strong operating profits in 2018, while Republic reported increased revenue driven by its waste business.

    The incinerator converts the waste to energy, which can be sold back to the electrical grid, said Carlton Williams, Philadelphia’s streets commissioner. But that has done little to alleviate many residents’ environmental angst and concerns about increased air pollution in Chester.

    “Residents say, ‘You are taking all our recycling efforts, and you are burning it?’” Mr. Williams said. “They hear the word ‘burn’ and they think it is an environmental disaster.”

    City officials are working to negotiate a more affordable contract that would restore recycling to all of Philadelphia this year.

    The troubles with recycling have amplified calls for limiting waste at its source. Measures like banning plastic bags and straws, long pushed by environmental groups, are gaining traction more widely.

    Some large waste producers are still going through the motions of recycling, no matter how futile.
    Last edited by Lee Chowaniec; March 17th, 2019 at 01:00 PM.

  10. #310
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    You're giving her too much credit if you think any thought went into this at all. It was no more than a checkbox on a list. No effort, no thought...

  11. #311
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    So if there is no one who wants recycling items it just ends up getting thrown out with everything else instead?

  12. #312
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    So if there is no one who wants recycling items it just ends up getting thrown out with everything else instead?
    Exactly!

    Everything here boils down to how much are municipalities and their residents willing to pay to preserve the environment. If the recycling business becomes too restrictive in the material it accepts or markets like China and India are unwilling to accept past receipts, then to trash it will go.

    The thing that is not being answered is how much of our trash is going to landfills or to be incinerated. If plastics, papers, etc. are incinerated what are the pollution concerns?

    How much is now being recycled vs in the past contract? I received my new recycle bin seven weeks ago and have had it emptied but once.

    As I have repeatedly stated, some residents will be paying a lot more to have less services provided; some much more to continue having like past services.

  13. #313
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    So today was the garbage day in my neighborhood. I saw several houses that had a second tote out. A tote that was similar but small to the town issued ones. After pickup the second tote was not collected and had fluorescent yellow tags taped to it.

    Personally i did some cleaning this week and was unable to throw everything away. My tote was packed and i have another tote worth waiting in the garage. I suspect that this is going to be more common the later that we get into spring cleaning. I'm going to end up packing my garbage into my neighbors totes, with their permission of course. This is starting to feel like we went way backwards in service, yet up in cost.

  14. #314
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    Quote Originally Posted by yaksplat View Post
    So today was the garbage day in my neighborhood. I saw several houses that had a second tote out. A tote that was similar but small to the town issued ones. After pickup the second tote was not collected and had fluorescent yellow tags taped to it.

    Personally i did some cleaning this week and was unable to throw everything away. My tote was packed and i have another tote worth waiting in the garage. I suspect that this is going to be more common the later that we get into spring cleaning. I'm going to end up packing my garbage into my neighbors totes, with their permission of course. This is starting to feel like we went way backwards in service, yet up in cost.
    They did not pick up a second non-issued tote across the street from me as well – as WM has been instructed to do.

    Your only recourse at this time is to buy the 40lb bags issued by the town or put it in a contractors plastic bag for bulk pickup.

    June is a long way off before you can purchase a second tote and pay an added $103 disposal fee.

    Yes indeed, as I have been posting, less service for increased cost. And wait until bulk season kicks in.

  15. #315
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    https://buffalonews.com/2019/04/07/n...sticker-shock/

    The first thought in reading today’s Buffalo News report was what initiated it as the News has been near silent on the project since it’s RFP proposal was announced last June. If the town called in to clear up the $5 sticker charge for a single 40 bag for removal of non-food waste product, this article misses the mark.

    “Most people didn’t know about it, but we’ve already sold 198 stickers,” Terranova said.

    Most people don’t know that the town just got in a supply of bags. Most people didn’t know that the $5 stickered bags are being sold for the express purpose of removing non-food waste materials. There are households waiting for that day in June when they can contract for another cart to handle their total trash needs - $100 per year fee vs. $260 per year for weekly bag purchase.

    “Five bags of grass clippings were allowed before, but with the new garbage contract the town is charged for extra bags, so we’re passing it on to the residents,” said Terranova. However, since the town switched to 96-gallon garbage totes this year, there should be extra room in each tote for bagged grass clippings.


    Imagine that, with grass cutting not taking place yet the town is encouraging households to mulch grass instead of picking up the clippings. It not only saves trash container space and cost, but it’s environmentally friendly. I mulched yet grass clippings were brought in by the dog, my family using the yard for recreation and pleasure, and visiting friends. One size doesn’t fit all.

    Information detailing Lancaster's new charge was announced last year during public hearings that explained the new garbage tote service. It is also included on the town website. Still, many residents were not aware of it, the town clerk said.

    There was only one public hearing held, and that was in November of 2018. It was to approve the new contract with Waste Management. The contents of the contract agreement with Waste Management was not published at that time, or to this day. An informational document on what is expected from the homeowners did not appear on the town’s website until the 11th hour and the town promised brochure from Waste Management (January) did not arrive until the middle of February – and where town mandated carts were issued the first week of February.

    If residents were not aware that the additional 40 lb. bag was only for use to dispose of non-food waste materials, they better become informed of materials that will only be picked up at the monthly ‘bulk’ pickup. They better read the Waste Management brochure handout (mailer) or visit the town website where they will learn what is now acceptable, and what will no longer be accepted in the new contract – such as remolding / updating construction materials like counter tops, plasterboard, sinks, toilets, etc. You will soon the learn the method and cost of such disposal. It isn’t cheap.

    Yes, the cost of trash and recycling disposal has increased significantly, and with less services provided. There is still a lot of confusion regarding the new expectations and process. One size doesn’t fit all. The town did a lousy job of getting the public involved and in disseminating timely information. Waste Management has been culpable in creating much of the policy change confusion by they’re having picked up materials for disposal that were not agreed upon in the last contract – construction materials, quantities of materials, etc. There is a furnace sitting on the lawn in our subdivision since Friday for this week’s bulk pickup. We shall see whether Waste Management takes it. They are not supposed to.

    Lastly, why Town Clerk Dianne Terranova was interviewed in this report is puzzling. She played no role in the contract negotiation with Waste Management. Because her department sells the 40-lb bags?

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