Downers Grove Looks To Change Trash Sticker Usage, Eliminate Amnesty Day Amid Refuse Negotiations

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Downers Grove may ultimately trash its sticker program as the village considers new solid waste contracts. This marks the first time in more than 15 years that Downers Grove has sought a new solid waste contract, Commissioner Martin Tully said during the Sept. 16 village council meeting.

At the meeting, commissioners voted on a motion to direct staff to negotiate a solid waste contract with their preferred vendor via their preferred option of service delivery from four that were outlined in village documents.

Commissioners voted 6 to 1 in favor of the motion, directing staff to negotiate with Groot, LRS and Republic Services on the fourth option presented. Commissioner Martin Tully cast the lone "nay" vote, expressing his preference of option 1.

Below are the options being considered by village officials.

Option 1: Maintaining the Existing Program

This program offers residents the option of using waste carts or waste stickers for disposal. Customers may use their own trash containers or rent a 35-, 65- or 95-gallon cart.

Stickers can be used to recycle compost, or cart customers can pay an extra fee for compost disposal. Stickers can also be used for large items and bulk items.

Option 2: Cart Rental Only; Senior Discount

No stickers will be used for standard trash items in this option, in which residents can rent 35-, 65- or 95-gallon carts. Residents who are seniors get a discount on 35-gallon carts.

Per village documents, all residents would get a recycling and refuse cart.

Stickers can be used for yard waste, with residents attaching them to personal bags or 35-gallon bins. Yard waste carts will be available for rental. Stickers can also be used for large items and bulk items.

Option 3: Enhanced Services

This option has many similarities to option three, with enhanced services available.

Residents would rent 35-, 65- or 95-gallon carts for refuse and can add a recycling cart at no extra cost. Residents who are seniors would get a discount on 35-gallon carts.

Per village documents, all residents would get a recycling and refuse cart.

Stickers can be used for yard waste, with residents attaching them to personal bags or 35-gallon bins. Yard waste carts will be available for rental. Stickers can also be used for large items and bulk items.

No stickers would be required for leaf collection from the third week of October to the second week of December.

Residents can opt for pickup of electronic waste and stickers can be used to dispose of larger and bulk items.

Option 4: Cart Rental and Carts for Organic Waste

Proposed by LRS, this option includes rental of 35-, 65- or 95-gallon carts. and does not include a sticker option for organic waste or bulk items. LRS proposes offering organic waste carts as an opt-in item, with the possibility of year-round availability. Residents can put two bulk items out for collection each month, with no stickers required.

At the Sept. 16 meeting, residents in attendance spoke out against this and other measures covered in documents related to the proposed solid waste contracts. Among these considerations is potentially doing away with Amnesty Day.

Resident Channing Hesse said she posted about the solid waste contract negotiations on Nextdoor and "it was surprising how many people are interested in this subject."

"In less than 24 hours, I have over 58 comments," Hesse said.

She said one person who could not attend the meeting and had missed the deadline for public comments asked, "Could you please advocate to continue single-sticker pickup. I compost and recycle as much as possible —usually use about two stickers a month— which is about eight dollars a month."

Hesse said there was only one option in the four proposed by the village that allowed for personal trash cans, recycling carts and trash stickers.

"People really want this," Hesse said. "They want to use their private containers and be able to buy a sticker."

Steve Ruffalo suggested that the village opt for a base cost with its solid waste services, with the option to add carts and compost bins ala carte. He said one-third of the community still uses refuse stickers.

After the public comment portion of the discussion, Ccommissioner Martin Tully said he continues to "prefer option one."

"Primarily because there are so many people in the community that still vote for this in the sense that they still participate in it."

He added that he believes option one is "more aligned with [the village's] environmental sustainability program and the recommendations from the environmental concerns commission in support of a 'pay-as-you-throw' program.'"

Tully said it's been "very clear" to him through these solid waste contract negotiations and previous ones that "the providers want to get away from the stickers."

"We have to balance that with 'what does the community want,'" Tully said. "Because if option one is more expensive, then you're paying for that choice, you're paying for that option."

"What I'm not quite clear on is whether the community understands that," Tully said. "If it's going to cost other people more money, I think we've got to get our heads wrapped around that."

Tully said public education will be important going forward, as he believes many people think the village is leaning toward getting rid of stickers altogether. "Part of that education is going to be if there really is a cost benefit to it," he added.

Commissioner Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt said she thinks people may favor option one becuase it's the most familiar.

She added, "If you're putting stickers out weekly, it is likely more expensive to use the stickers than it would be to use the 35-gallon tote in most of these instances."

Sadowski-Fugitt said she feels option four will reduce waste over time.

Commissioner Chris Gilmartin said he ultimately wants to do what's best for residents.

"I don't know if there's going to be a perfect solution," Gilmartin said.

"There are options within option four that are appealing to me," he said.

"Republic's option one is actually more expensive than Groot's option four, which is all of the bells and whistles" Gilmartin said. For me, I think that's why option four is the best option for us."

Commissioner Michael Davenport said, "I think we can build options into what we're doing that will help to mitigate some of the additional costs that may occur for the person that's putting [trash] out maybe only once or twice a month."

Of Amnesty Day, Davenport said, "This is something that's been going away and I think it's going, going, going, gone."

"I know some people are not going to be happy to hear that," he added.

Davenport said he notices about 50 percent of people in his neighborhood seem to participate in Amnesty Day. "I don't think I want to subsidize other people throwing away tons of stuff once a year."

Village commissioners will again review the matter once negotiations have taken place.