Glass recycling renewal drafted in LR contract

City and residential hauler propose service extension

A proposed contract extension between the city of Little Rock and its residential recycling hauler would allow residents to put glass items in their curbside recycling cart again, five years after glass collection ceased, in exchange for a higher monthly fee.

A draft ordinance to authorize Acting City Manager Emily Cox to execute the contract extension with Waste Management is on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the Little Rock Board of Directors.

Residents of Little Rock, North Little Rock and Sherwood lost the ability to toss glass items into their curbside recycling cart in April 2019 because of a new regional contract with Waste Management.

In 2020, with the deal up for renewal, North Little Rock and Sherwood chose to have glass collection included with Waste Management’s services. Little Rock did not. That July, the city board approved less-expensive rates and no glass pickup.

The existing contract for recycling services in Little Rock is due to expire March 31, according to city board documents. The three-year extension before the city board would run through March 2027.

At the moment, residents in Little Rock are charged $5.25 per month for recycling pickup compared with $5.79 per month for residents of North Little Rock and Sherwood.

The new contract would make rates the same across the three cities.

Under the revised contract, the monthly fee would be $5.99 beginning April 1. The fee would increase to $6.31 on April 1, 2025 and $6.64 on April 1, 2026, according to the city board’s meeting materials.

Going forward, Waste Management is expected to be able to accept the plastic clamshell containers that often contain fruit as well as so-called gable top cartons in the single-stream recycling carts.

The city councils of North Little Rock and Sherwood also will need to sign off on the revised contract.

During an agenda-setting meeting of the city board on Tuesday, Jon Honeywell, the director of the city’s Public Works Department, gave a brief summary of the proposed changes.

Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said officials were “able to work [the new rates] down significantly to still get glass at a very good rate.”

After questioning Honeywell about the share of glass that is recovered through Waste Management’s process, at-large City Director Dean Kumpuris suggested that the company’s representatives address the city board directly on Tuesday, but Scott resisted.

The mayor cited the fact that it was an agenda-setting session, not a formal meeting, and asked that the representatives submit something in writing to the city board.