- April 26, 2024
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It used to be that when Americans chucked their plastic soda or milk bottles in a recycling bin and set the bin out at the curb for collection day, those bottles would mostly make their way to China, which has long processed much of the world's plastic recycling.
The city may also look at switching from a two-workers-per-truck system to an automated one-worker-per-truck system, which would require city-provided trash bins.
No longer: China, in a policy known as "One Sword," has stopped taking American recycling.
And that, among other factors, is driving up costs of recycling across the country and pushing Palm Coast's leadership to look for ways the city government could reduce costs, if needed, when it seeks a new solid waste contract after Waste Pro's current one expires in May 2022.
Mentioning China's policy change, City Manager Matt Morton said in a Feb. 9 City Council workshop that the city isn't certain that it will see a cost increase, but it seems likely.
"We’re expecting an increase," he said. "At this point, recycling is not profitable as a commodities market."
In March, the city will start enclosing a survey with residents' utility bills to see what trash hauling service capabilities they like and which the city might be able to cut to save money, if needed.
The questions ask residents how often they're filling up their recycling bins, if they'd be OK with once-a-week collection instead of twice-a-week, if they'd be willing to pay $1-$5 per month extra to keep curbside recycling available, if they prefer to use their own garbage cans or have the city provide them, how often they put out yard waste, and whether they'd like to keep bulk pickup once a week or would be comfortable reducing it to once a month or eliminating it as a basic service, so that bulk pickup would require contacting the waste hauler directly ahead of time.
The city may also look at switching from a two-workers-per-truck system to an automated one-worker-per-truck system, which would require city-provided trash bins.
City staff will also host two community meetings to seek input.
The survey results will be analyzed in April and presented to the City Council for decisions before the city goes out to bid for a new residential solid waste contract in May.
