City expects to see savings from new recycling program

Written by Lauren Suit Wednesday, December 19, 2012 03:18 pm

NORTH WILDWOOD — Recycling isn’t just good for the environment, it may turn into substantial savings for the city when the county implements single-stream recycling next year.
Single stream recycling refers to a system in which all recyclable materials are mixed in a single collection truck, instead of being sorted by the resident into separate containers.

City administrator Louis Bellasco told council that the company that handles the city’s trash and recycling, Waste Management Inc., said that if single stream recycling begins in North Wildwood, the city would see a savings.
Also, Mayor Bill Henfey said that communities, especially resort towns, that use single-stream recycling find that vacationers are more willing to recycle.
“If vacation people can put cardboard, newspapers, bottles, cans, aluminum and everything into one can, they recycle more,” said Henfey.
He also said that businesses would also be more willing to recycle.
The city also voted to give a one-year extension with Waste Management, Inc for $504,636. After this contract, the city informed Waste Management it is interested in rebidding its trash hauling contract with the refuse company next year because the company is interested in owning the trash it collects.
“It is an option of the hauler to own the waste, which would mean they would be responsible for the tipping fees,” said Belasco.
Under the current contract tipping fees are paid by the city and trash from other towns or businesses can’t be added to the trucks when they make their rounds.
That would also save the city money, he said.
Henfey said that the city would have to compare the tipping fees in the summer of 2013 to the summer of 2012 to know if the city was getting a better deal.
“The theory behind single-streaming is more people will recycle, therefore they put less in the trash and your tipping fees go down anyway,” said Henfey