The public works department has been looking into the possibility of charging a fee for replacement trash barrels, according to City Manager Fidel Maltez.
Last month, District 6 Councilor Giovanni Recupero requested Maltez look into the possibility of the city charging for replacement barrels if a resident could not provide a broken trash barrel in exchange for a new barrel. Several other councilors noted that there are occasionally instances where barrels are stolen, so it could be an undue burden on residents to pay for the new barrels.
“Public Works has been evaluating this option for some time now,” said Maltez. “We are concerned that implementing a fee for trash barrels might lead to increased illegal dumping and worsening housing conditions, particularly in rental properties. Many of our neighboring cities have implemented controls on trash barrels.”
Some cities limit the amount of trash barrels issued to a property to one barrel per housing unit, while several cities charge from $50 to $100 for replacement barrels, Maltez stated.
“Our DPW might be forced to implement similar practices, especially with the growing cost of trash disposal and trash barrels,” Maltez said. “In 2018, when the city rolled out trash barrels, the cost of each barrel was $35.”
Today, the price of those barrels has doubled to nearly $70, according to Maltez.
“Trash hauling and disposal has gone up at a similar rate,” Maltez said. “Our DPW team will continue evaluating this policy over the next several months to determine the best course of action.”