Becker is the president of Becker tes, Inc., a solid waste planning ated in Deerfield, Illinois. The firm

ts local, county and regional govern- with the development and imple- ion of responsible solutions for aste management. Marilyn Brown- geologist with Becker Associates.

2;;. ?iimmunitíes usíng a iolume-based garbage col- ‘$ction fee system have bigher recyclíng rates than C;ommuníties usíng a flat-fee rtructure .

Volume-based garbage collection fees: an analvsis of

J

10 Illinois programs

Volume-based garbage collection fees are used by some Illinois communities as a means to encourage waste reduction and help achieve recycling goals estab- lished by recent state legislation. The pay- by-the-bag system charges residents ac- cording to the amount of garbage placed at the curb rather than on a flat fee basis.

Residents are required to purchase specially marked bags or stickers for all residential garbage. The bag or sticker fee covers the cost of collection, hauling and disposal; it also covers the cost of a recycling collection program, which is of- fered at no additonal charge. The system provides an economic incentive to en- courage waste reduction and recycling while decreasing the amount of garbage collected and disposed.

Research methodology The authors identified 11 Illinois mu- nicipalities that had implemented this fee system. Telephone interviews were conducted in late 1990 with 10 of the com- munities located in four counties.

The survey asked questions about the administration of the program, fees charged per container, and recycling and wiste reduction results. It also asked re- spondents to rate severa1 problems that are sometimes associated with volume- based fees. Survey results and the experi- ence of these municipal forerunners can be used by communities considering such a program.

Survey information was collected from persons in charge of recycling or waste collection programs in each community. The respondent was usually a staff person or the area’s hauler. (For a look at a fee- based system in yet another Illinois com- munity, see “Volume-based collection fees: a success story,” also in this issue.)

Program organization Table 1 summarizes basic information about the 10 programs. The oldest pro- gram, in Woodstock, has been in opera-

tion nearly three years. Eight of the pro- grams have started within the last year. The number of households served by each program ranges from 2,000 to 12,500. In all cases, one or more private haulers are responsible for refuse and yard waste collection and recycling. Municipalities are not involved in collec- tion.

Cost and distribution of bags/stìckers The six programs in McHenry, Kane and Whiteside counties sell specially marked bags, ranging in price from $1 .Ol to $1.40 each. In two communities, yard waste bags are sold at a lower price ($0.80 each in Harvard and $0.95 in Algonquin). The Sterling and Rock Falls program also sells stickers for bulky items, bundles of brush and other materials not suitable for place- ment in bags.

The four municipalities in DuPage County sell stickers only. Survey re- spondents said that stickers allowed homeowners to use their own containers, offered flexibility and were easier to dis- tribute than bags. The average sticker price for these four programs is $1.20, slightly less than the average bag price of $1.28; however, under the sticker pro- gram, residents must purchase their own bags or containers.

Typically, a sticker is used on a 33- gallon bag. In Wheaton, 90-gallon carts need three stickers. In Downers Grove, three stickers are required for back door collection of a 33-gallon bag. In Wheaton, which has eight haulers licensed to collect bulky items, stickers indicate the hauler responsible for collection.

Eight of the 10 programs expect an in- crease in price within the next year, rang- ing from a few cents to 20 cents per bag. At least five communities have included cost increase provisions in their haulíng contracts. In Lisle, McHenry and Wheaton, the cost increase is tied to in- creases in landfill tipping fees. Sterling and Rock Falls project a decrease in their

97 Resource Recycling March 1991

n Table 1 - Volume-based garbage collection data

Municipality County

Algonquin McHenry

Darien DuPage

Downers Grove DuPage

Harvard McHenry

Lisle DuPage

McHemy McHenry

St. Charles Kane

Sterling & Whiteside Rock Falls

Wheaton DuPage

Woodstock McHenry

Pounds collected Date Households per month

program started served ’ for recycling

July 1990 4,200 244,000

July 1990 4,500 212,000 May 1990 12,500 700,000 Aprill989

May 1990

Aprill990

2,000 4,282 4,800

Oct. 1989 8,020

July 1990 8,450

July 1990 12,500

Jan. 1988

56,000 220,000 180,000

300,000

131,000

548,900

117,000

Pounds recycled per household

58

47' 56

Direct charge for garbage !3ag Sticker Yard waste

$1.35 $0.95

$1.30 $1.30 $1.25 $1.25

28 51 38

37

16

44

26

$1.25 $1.30

$1.35

$1 .Ol

$1.40 $1.40

$0.94

$1.35

$0.80 $1.30

$1 .Ol

$1.40

$0.97

bag price; these two municipalities cur- rently have the highest bag price of the

munities distribute bags and/or stickers at area stores and retail establishments.

ers are usually sold in groups of five tc 10

10 communities surveyed. The distribution of bags and stickers

Seven also sell them at the village or city In some communities, such as Alga

hall. In three municipalities, the hauler is quin and St. Charles, store owners a

can sometimes be a problem. All 10 com- involved in distribution. The bags or stick- not reimbursed for costs associated ti the distribution of bags or stickers. R

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98 Resource Recycling March 1991

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store is felt Jo benefit due to increased ‘patron trafftc. However, without any sconomic incentive, some haulers report

2 pr&lemS. Algonquin’s hauler reported fiat some stores are slow to pay the

bbauler for bags that have been sold. The “hauler provides the bags to the store at ““0 charge; the store reimburses the hauler only for those bags sold. The Algonquin respondent emphasized, how-

‘sver, that the advantage of retail dis- ‘tribution is that it reduces the hauler’s bookkeeping and fee collection costs.

To help cover costs associated with dis- tribution, Lisle allows stores to keep 3 per- cent of the revenue from the sale of stick- ers. Of the $1.30 sticker price, $1.26 goes to the hauler and the remaining $0.04 goes to the retail establishment. The Lisle respondent said that this has increased cooperation among the city, the hauler and the retail establishments.

Sterling and Rock Falls, ín Whiteside County, use a slightly different method of distribution. In Rock Falls, $9.75 is added to each household’s monthly sewer bíll for refuse collection and recycling. The resi- dent receives five coupons to be re- deemed at local stores for five refuse

Woodstock, in McHenry County, has the oldest volume-based garbage collection fee system in Illinois.

bags. Additional bags can be purchased cling and some fixed costs associated for $1.40. Coupons can be cashed in if with refuse collection. A similar system is they are not used. The five coupons (at used in Sterling, although the $2.75 fee $1.40) are Worth $7.00. The additional is covered with general tax revenue rather $2.75 covers the cost of curbside recy- than collected on residential sewer bilis.

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99 Resource Recycling March 1991

This system ensures adequate funds to operate the recycling program, reduces bookkeeping for retail establishments and provides stable cash flow.

Collection of recyclable materials In all communities, there is no extra charge for collection of recyclables. The average tons collected per month by each program range from 28 to 350 tons. On a per household basis, pounds recovered per month range from 16 to 58. These figures are calculated according to total households ser-ved by the program; pounds of material recycled per participat- íng household would be higher.

The lowest monthly recycling rate of 16 pounds is for Sterling and Rock Falls. This figure is comparable to a pilot program in Decatur that collected 16 pounds per month per household served. Lower recy- cling rates are typical outside of the Chi- cago metropolitan area because of re- duced volumes of newspaper.

The nine communítíes in the metropoli- tan area with volume-based fees showed higher recycling rates than similar com- munities with flat rate fee structures. Re- cyclables collected per household aver-

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Lisle reported 60 percent during the first month. Downers Grove reported an 85 percent reduction in yard waste collected. According to the Illinois Office of Technol- ogy Transfer, Woodstock’s program re- sulted in a 15 percent decrease in solid waste, from 1.53 bags per household per week in 1988 to 1.3 bags in 1989. In most communities, this information was not available because accurate records had not been kept concerning waste volumes

collected before implementation of the program.

Public information All 10 communities implemented some form of public education concerníng the new fee system. Brochures or flyers to explain the new program were distributed in eight municipalities. Education pro- grams in the schools were mentioned by five and inclusion of information in the vil-

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lage newsletter was mentioned by three, Algonquin and Harvard held public meet. ings to explain the new system, Downers Grove prepared an educational video and Lisle formed a citizen’s committee. In about half of the programs, specific rec: ommendations for household waste re. duction (such as purchasing durablè rather than throwaway products) were in. cluded. Other programs only stressed the importance of recycling as a way to Contrd the number of bags used by a household. +

Evaluation of problems $ :*

Each respondent was asked to evalua8 his or her program in terms of five i.ssu& sometimes associated with volums based collection fees. The respondenc rated problems on a scale of 1 to 5, w@’ “1” indicating definitely not a problem

% “5” indicating definitely a problem. A com bined average score was then calculatd for each problem. In order of importa ” the problems are:

Illegal dumping of waste in commercial and govern- mental dumpsters Insufficient revenues to cover costs of collection Illegal dumping of wastes along roadsides, ditches, etc. 2.3: Uneven cash flow due to uneven purchase of bags and/or stickers 2.2c Excessive compaction of ii waste in individual bags. “8$ Ies

In no case is the average scOr?d than a “3”. This suggests that nq these problems could be characteq

- _’ a major deterrent to implementa volume-based fee system. Howe$ vidual communities, particularly i programs in Woodstock, Harv McHenry, ranked these iSsue higher than newer programs in 1 three counties. The probable exl is that the McHenry County cC?! were pioneers and had to “leam the hard way.” DuPage Co”!! munities learned from the mis! McHenry County municipalities? adjustments in their programs* j

Addressing the problems ! Severa1 of the issues listed abo’ addressed by an ongoing Pu! tion program. If residents unde purpose of the volume-based$

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they are most likely to cooperate and com- ply with the regulations. Introduction of yolume-based fees should be accom- panied by easy no-cost access to recy- cling opportunities and comprehensive in- fcrmation on waste reduction in the home. Other ways to mitigate these five potential problems are discussed below.

Illegal dumping in available dump- sters. Rather than purchase bags, at a price some residents may perceive as un- fair, waste generators choose to place meir garbage in dumpsters at local parks, grccery stores and Office buildings. This problem can be controlled by installing lids and locks on waste storage bins or by placing dumpsters in areas not accessible to the public.

Inadequate revenues. This problem is ssociated with the fixed costs of collec- tjon, including labor and equipment. The more successful a program is at attaining waste reduction, the less revenue there is to cover the costs of collecting the re- maining waste. One way to address this issue is to charge all households a mini- mal fee to cover the cost of collecting one weekly bag of garbage and providing the recycling program. For example, Sterling and Rock Falls charge a basic household lee of $2.75 per month.

Roadside dumping. This is a difficult problem to address. One suggestion is to hcrease police observation of roadside :ti popular dumping areas, particularly duting the early months of the program. 3 bags of refuse are found, the address ) the responsible par-Q frequently ap- ,BrS in mail in the garbage. This can be uy to trace and reprimand the party. 1 .y

Uneven cash flow. Program cash flow is difficult to predict in volume-based pro- grams. A monthly base fee, as described above, is one way to correct this problem.

Excessive compaction. While this a

Recycling rates were higher in the communities with volume-based fees than similar communities with flat-rate fees.

minor problem overall, severa1 com- munities report that some residents tty to stuff too much in a bag in order to reduce the number of bags used. To control for this problem, Woodstock has set a 60- Pound limit per bag, and Algonquin’s bags are marked with a 50-Pound limit. En- forcement is difficult; as with the other issues, public education is the most effec- tive approach.

Conclusions Volume-based garbage collection fees are implemented in order to achieve one or more of the following objectíves: n Increase recycling

n Increase waste reduction activitíes H Increase resident awareness of the

solid waste problem n Provide an equítable fee structure so

that each household pays only for the amount of garbage it generates

n Reduce the amount of waste disposed. The 10 programs surveyed for thís

study have achieved these objectives. Therefore, the authors conclude that volume-based fees are a success and should be considered by other com- munities.

A successful program includes the fol- lowing elements: n An ongoing public education program n Easy access to no-cost recycling op-

portunities n Distribution of waste reduction informa-

tion n A method for payíng for the fixed costs

associated with refuse collectíon and recycling

n A bag or sticker distribution network that is accessible to residents and that fairly reimburses distributors for their costs

n Methods for resolvíng potential illegal dumping problems

n Enforceable weight limits on bags and/ or contaíners. In summary, volume-based garbage

collectíon fees have been used in Illinois for nearly three years. During that time, most operational problems have been solved. The general consensus among the 10 respondents to thís survey ís that this fee system works. The authors rec- ommend that other communities consider thís approach. RR

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Resource Recyclng March 199 1