Council agrees: Recycling fee a ‘bargain’
City council has endorsed a new charge for blue cart recycling in Medicine Hat that members called “a bargain” and an extra $3 per month minimal considering the benefits of extending the city’s landfill.
On Tuesday, administrators said the net difference on residential customers’ bills would be $2.89 per month starting after July.
“What I’ve heard on the street is overwhelmingly positive,” said Mayor Ted Clugston.
“I know there are people who say they don’t want it and that we’ll rue the day and they’ll burn their carts if we bring it, but it’s really a small minority.”
“Especially at $2.89 (per month)... a trip to the depot and back has got to be close to $2 in gas. It’s a good service and the right thing to do.”
Council members who spoke about the new fee were similarly impressed by the amount of the charges.
Coun. Phil Turnbull said the new charge might add to bills, but “a bargain” compared to private recycling pickup service contracts.
The alternative, he said, was the current landfill would be filled up sooner, leading to major costs for remediation as well as developing a new dump.
“It’s short-term pain for long-term gain,” he said. “A lot of numbers get thrown around, but (since recycling programs initially began years ago) we’ve extended the life of the landfill and this will extend it further.”
Utility committee vicechair, Coun. Jamie McIntosh, said the bins have created a buzz in the city.
“There’s a lot of people who are very happy to see them arrive.”
Council unanimously passed three readings by 8-0 votes to institute a $6.31 permonth charge for the weekly pickup service.
However, that is combined with decreases to general pickup (down $2.09 to reflect lower volumes) and current waste diversion change (down $1.33 as administration chargebacks now captured under the recycling charge).
The net effect is an increase of $2.89 in an average month.
Billing goes into effect on July 1, at which point all of the city’s 23,000 single family homes, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, should have carts and regular pickups.
About one-third have been delivered as of this week.
When the plan was initially endorsed in early 2017, staff analysis stated that recycling levels in Medicine Hat had hit a plateau even though voluntary dropoff depots were well used.
At the time planners said added convenience of the residential bins could result in an additional 3,900 tonnes of otherwise recyclable material being diverted from the landfill each year.
That represents between five to 10 per cent increase in recycling, which would bring Medicine Hat — the last of Canadian cities over 50,000 without curbside — in line with the national average.
Four current depots will remain open for the time being — to serve residents of larger condos and apartments as well as single-family homeowners with overflow volumes.
The move to curbside also led to the cancellation of developing two new depot locations that were part of approved expansion plans.
At the same time in early 2017. the city instituted discounts on loads for commercial and construction companies that delivered sorted loads of recycling material, such as cardboard, clean wood or drywall.