Waste discussion will be fierce
Lewis Delavan

Trash collection promises to be an even bigger issue than utility-rate increases.

This year's rate increases have been raised the ire of Benton utility customers.

Faced with federal Clean Water Act mandates, Benton received a $26 million loan to ensure compliance. Sewer rates had to be raised to ensure loan repayment.

Around the same time, electric rates increased. The ire continued to rise.

Benton is now looking at mandatory trash pickup. The city doesn't plan to enter the trash hauling business, but expects to develop contracts with several trash haulers.

Alderman Greg White had been pushing for a waste-collection ordinance.

Pushing it to the forefront recently were comments by Alderman Joe Lee Richards. He was complaining about some city residents storing garbage behind their rental house, rather than paying to have it picked up.

City inspectors can enforce what they see from the street, but can't enter private property to take a gander.

Presumably, they could follow their nose if the stench became bad enough.

The plan poses pros and cons. Cities and counties should mandate pickup, but ald ermen must have backbone to do what they see is right, rather than caving into pressure from constituents who may be freeloading on trash pickup.

Several reasons exist for potential unhappiness. Benton residents have their choice of trash hauler.

Under the developing ordinance, the entire neighborhood would be served by a winning bidder.

Some customers enjoy twiceweekly pickup, but White says the ordinance will call for weekly pickup.

The idea is to encourage recycling. If people will choose products with less packaging, re-use products and recycle, the waste stream will decrease. (Remember the "three R's" of waste reduction: Reduce, reuse, recycle).

Unfortunately, the rise of Chinese imports has resulted in increased trash, one hauler said in committee.

Excessive packaging, perhaps to help the treasure survive the long journey, is the reason.

Another factor boosting the waste flow, not mentioned in committee, is the short life of many Chinese products. After quickly breaking or ceasing to work, the broken item is pitched into the dumpster.

The goal will be to reverse the increase.

Advantages would exist for surviving haulers.

They wouldn't have to worry about collections and bad debts - the solid-waste fee would be placed on water bills.

Deadbeats would answer to the city, not to the hauler.

Trash collectors agree some customers fail to pay their bill and move on to another hauler.

At a recent committee meeting, one hauler said he's missing numerous trash containers. He alleged some people contract with other haulers, but continue using his containers.

He was particularly miffed his competitors would be willing to accept trash from his units.

No one spoke up to deny or agree with the accusation in committee, but he promised to find his containers by driving through on collection day.

One strong downside is that some haulers may be forced out of business, if they fail to win a contract.

The market is already shrinking, as one hauler has bought out several competitors and hopes to buy out more.

While some have hoped for cheaper prices, haulers say they aren't making a huge profit, and there's not a lot of fat to cut. The biggest savings will be through improved collections.

Despite potential drawbacks, there seems to be a consensus that a proposed ordinance will be developed.

The committee is studying ways to accommodate people who don't generate much trash.

Elderly people often generate less trash. People strongly committed to recycling, or the "three R's," will certainly generate less. White and other city leaders hope to point everyone toward recycling. It's good for the environment, and saves valuable resources.

It's good to see the city working with haulers to develop the best ordinance possible.

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Lewis Delavan is news editor of the Saline County Voice. His e-mail is ldelavan@salinecountyvoice. com; his telephone number is 315-6397.