Dearborn Orders More Trash Carts for Residents with Excessive Garbage

In an effort to address excessive amounts of trash in residential neighborhoods, the Dearborn City Council recently approved a request to order more garbage and recycling containers.

"First quarter 2013 data shows an additional 419 trash/recycle carts are required to fulfill citizen need," Mayor John B. O'Reilly, Jr. said in a memo to the council. 

The council approved a contract with Cascade Engineering on Aug. 13 for 153 additional recycling carts at a cost of $45.17 each, and 369 trash carts at a cost of $43.67 each. The total cost for the carts is $23,025.

O'Reilly said the additional carts will be used at homes that continuously have an overflow of trash or recycling.

Each time a Republic Waste Services (RWS) garbage truck arm reaches to pick up a trash can, it’s recorded by a computer. When there’s additional trash left on the curb and the driver has to put it in a can for another dump, it is counted as a second service.

If there are ongoing second attempts at a particular address, the resident has to pay $55 to receive a second cart.

The city will take a loss with the additional carts because it is charged $78 for each unit, which includes $47 for the cart, $10 to notify residents, $15 for each to be delivered to a RWS storage yard in Wayne, $4 to store each cart and $2 for Republic to deliver each cart to the city.

The mayor said there is an estimated current inventory of 245 trash carts and 140 recycling carts available for city use.

"A critical inventory requirement of 150 trash and 75 recycling carts is recommended to remain in inventory at all times," O'Reilly said.

According to the Department of Public Works, the rolling inventory of cart dispersal per month averages approximately 15 carts.

"Based on our current inventory of carts and the rolling inventory average, the city could begin cart distribution to those in the greatest need immediately upon order placement of additional carts," O'Reilly said.

RWS will be compensated $20 per cart, which will be assessed upon delivery to a home. As part of the contract with Cascade Engineering, the city is required to order a minimum of 500 trash/recycling carts.

In other action

• The city entered into a 180-day interim agreement with the village of Milford for sewerage services for Camp Dearborn. The city and village have been operating under a 20-year agreement that expired in 2007 and are negotiating a new contract that better reflects usage. The city will pay a maximum of $11,200 under the interim agreement.