On November 13, 2018, the Wildwood City Council Voted to Switch to Dual-Stream Recycling Citywide Starting January 1, 2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
WEBSITE COPY: On November 13, 2018, the Wildwood City Council voted to switch to dual-stream recycling citywide starting January 1, 2019. Due to recent national initiatives to reduce waste and contamination throughout the United States, Resource Management’s Earth City Materials Recovery Facility notified our service provider, Meridian Waste, that as of November 1, they will no longer accept single-stream recyclables collected curbside from residential customers, which includes Wildwood residents. Since this new process requires residents to take some recyclables to a drop-off location within Wildwood, we created this FAQ to answer questions you may have. This FAQ will be updated as new information becomes available. If you have questions not covered in this document, please contact us at [email protected]. Wildwood Recycling Changes effective January 1, 2019 1. What is dual-stream recycling? a. Dual-stream recycling means that you separate different types of recycled materials. Items that are still eligible for curbside pickup include: plastic containers with recycling codes of 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 (non-black), aluminum, tin and steel cans. b. This also means that residents will need to drop recyclables off at drop-off locations throughout the city. These include: corrugated papers (cardboard), mixed papers and glass. Drop-off locations are being set up by Meridian at no cost to residents or the city. We will publicize the locations when we have them. c. Both the City and Meridian will be providing information to residents in the mail, on the City’s website, and in the City’s social media channels about this change. You can also visit www.MeridianWaste.com/Wildwood for more information. 2. Why did the City Council vote to switch to dual-stream recycling? a. Meridian Waste changed their standard recycling process from single stream to dual stream due to the local processor’s non-acceptance of single-stream and notified the City of Wildwood. The City Council voted to accept this change on November 13, effective January 1, 2019. The City will explore different options for recycling, with public input, until the contract extension expires on August 1, 2019 and the City enters into a new agreement with a provider. To provide your input, you may email us at [email protected]. 3. What can I still recycle at curbside? a. Plastic containers 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 can be recycled. The recycling symbol shows you which number code it is. These plastics, however, cannot be black. b. For example: ♳ ♴ ♵ ♷ ♹ c. Aluminum d. Tin and steel cans 4. What do I need to drop off? a. Corrugated paper (cardboard) b. Mixed papers c. Glass 5. Where can I drop off recyclable materials? a. Placeholder 6. When does this take effect? a. This new policy begins January 1, 2019. 7. Does this policy have an end date? a. This policy is temporary and will continue until August 1, 2019. By then, the City of Wildwood will have a new contract with Meridian or another recycling service. However, the terms of the new agreement may be similar to this one. We will seek public input on this service. 8. What will happen after August 1, 2019? a. By August 1, 2019, the City of Wildwood will have a new contract. We will provide information on the program that begins in August as soon as it is available to us. 9. Will residents have any say in choosing a new provider? a. The details of the new contract are still to be decided, but they will be decided with the input of Wildwood residents. We will notify residents of the choices to be made in advance of the August deadline, via our e-newsletter, the Gazette, social media and other avenues we normally use to communicate to our residents. 10. Will my recycling/waste fees change? a. The extended contract with Meridian does not include a rate increase. You will continue to pay for your service at the same rate you do now until August 1, 2019. 11. How many drop-off locations will there be, and who will decide where they are placed? a. Meridian will designate three or four locations throughout the city with City input. Meridian will also pay for the installation of these drop off locations, so there is no charge to residents or the City. 12. Can I recycle plastic bags? a. No, you cannot recycle plastic bags under this program. However, many markets and stores recycle plastic bags. 13. Should I leave the caps on recyclable containers and bottles? a. Yes! Caps from plastic bottles and containers and glass containers, should be placed back on the container after a quick rinse. They can then be tossed in with your other curbside recycling. 14. I have broken glass; can I recycle it? a. Yes! All glass, broken or not, can be recycled at a drop-off location. 15. Can I recycle aluminum foil? a. Yes! Clean aluminum containers and foil are recyclable in your regular recycling bin. 16. Can I recycle magazines? a. Yes! You can recycle all magazines, glossy or plain, at the drop-off locations. 17. Can I recycle junk mail? a. Yes! All of your paper junk mail (windowed envelopes, glossy magazines and newspapers, are recyclable) at the drop-off locations. 18. Can I recycle aerosol cans? a. Yes! Any empty aerosol can (hairspray, spray paint, cooking oil spray) is recyclable in your standard recycling bin. Just make sure it's empty. 19. Can I recycle pizza boxes? a. Yes! If your pizza box is soaked in grease or has food remnants, simply tear off the top portion of the box for recycling. If the box is clean, break it down and drop it off at the designated location. 20. Can I recycle cardboard rolls (like paper towel and toilet paper)? a. Yes! If it is cardboard, it’s recyclable, just drop it off at the designated recycling location. 21. I live in an apartment complex; do I use the City of Wildwood’s recycling program? a. The City’s recycling program only applies to single-family residential areas. Multi-family and commercial developments are handled by their respective owners. 22. I am having trouble with the recycling program, who do I call or email? a. You may contact the City of Wildwood Department of Public Works at [email protected]. December 5, 2018 Dear Resident, This letter is to notify you of the upcoming changes to recycling that apply to our city. Due to recent national initiatives to reduce waste and contamination throughout the United States, Resource Management’s Earth City Materials Recovery Facility notified our service provider, Meridian Waste, that as of November 1, they will no longer accept single-stream recyclables collected curbside from residential customers, which includes Wildwood residents. Therefore, our recycling service provider, Meridian Waste, was forced to change their standard recycling process from single stream to dual stream. We ask for your patience as we adapt to the global changes impacting our recycling system and this change made by our provider. The Wildwood City Council voted November 13 to extend the contract with Meridian and switch to dual-stream recycling effective January 1, 2019. They also voted to seek bids on the city’s waste hauling and recycling by August 1, 2019. We will provide ways for you to respond to the various options we have in Wildwood, and what you are willing to pay for. There is no change in the price of your waste and recycling service through August 1, 2019. When Meridian informed the city that it was moving to dual-stream recycling from single-stream recycling, the City Council voted to accept the change and keep the rates you pay for waste hauling and recycling the same. Meridian, as part of this change, will also provide drop-off centers in Wildwood for those materials that cannot be put in your recycling bin after January 1, 2019. This includes: corrugated papers (cardboard), mixed paper and glass. As of January 1, 2019, the following items can still be placed in your recycling bin: plastics containers containing the recycling code 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 (non-black), aluminum, tin and steel cans. At its core, dual-stream recycling means you separate your recyclables to reduce the contamination of all of the products being recycled. Some materials will continue to be collected curbside, while some materials will need to be dropped off at specific locations. Meridian is planning to designate three or four drop-off locations throughout Wildwood with City input. The exact locations will be communicated to you on the City website, www.cityofwildwood.com, and in the weekly e-newsletter as soon as they become available to us. There is no charge to the City or residents for these drop-off centers. The following materials will continue to be collected at curbside: • Plastics containers containing the recycling code 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 (non-black) • Aluminum • Tin and steel cans The following materials will need to be dropped off: • Corrugated Papers (cardboard) and Mixed Papers • Glass The City of Wildwood, in conjunction with Meridian, will implement an ongoing education campaign associated with the dual-stream approach to encourage residents to separate their recyclables starting January 1, 2019. We want you to know that this is an interim measure, until a new long-term agreement can be established starting August 1, 2019. We are also continuing to negotiate additional interim service options. The City will also give residents a period in which to publicly comment on these options before authorizing a new, long-term agreement.