Bessemer residents to receive trash, recycling containers

BESSEMER - New waste disposal services begin Sept. 2 in Bessemer and with it will come a change in pick-up days and no more blue trash bags.

At its meeting Monday, the city council approved a resolution establishing the trash and recycling collection fee of $17 per month with the city's new provider, Eagle Waste & Recycling, Inc., of Eagle River, Wis.

Residents who have received water or sewer services through the city will continue to get a bi-monthly utility bill, with the new trash and recycling services fee included. Residents without water and sewer services, but still paying the city for trash pick-up, will continue to get a disposal bill.

City officials have said there is no opting out of the program.

"The only thing where people save is if they're snow birds," city manager Mike Uskiewicz said. "They go away and notify us of those months they're out of town, then there's no collection."

Eagle Waste is providing residents with one trash and one recycling container, to be delivered next week.

Each customer will receive two carts on wheels: A 64-gallon cart with a black lid for trash, and a 96-gallon cart with a yellow lid for single-stream recyclables.

The pick-up day for trash will be every Tuesday, beginning Sept. 2, and the pick-up day for recycling will be every other Monday beginning Sept. 8.

Recyclable materials include glass, plastic, tin, aluminum, paper and cardboard all mixed together in the one container. The material is to be clean and placed loosely within the container.

Eagle Waste is currently not set up to process plastic bags as recyclable material and asks customers not to place any in the recycling containers.

Customers are to place the cart in the location it was delivered at no later than 6 a.m. on the pickup day. The carts will be picked up with a mechanical arm that extends from the truck. All materials must be placed in the containers to be collected. Material that is outside of the carts will not be picked up.

Eagle Waste also asks customers to be sure that the cart is at least three feet from other carts, telephone poles, vehicles and other structures to allow the automated arm to pick it up.

A video showing the collection procedure and explaining the cart placement can be viewed by visiting Eagle Waste's website at eaglewasteandrecycling.com in the Bessemer "starburst."

There will be also be a packet of information attached to the containers when delivered.

"The changes will improve aesthetics within the city, save money and promote and improve recycling collection and participation," a release from Eagle Waste states.

The city changed from handling its own waste disposal in May to contracted services through Eagle Waste. The switch is expected to cost the city about the same, but it could see future savings from not having to purchase or maintain equipment.

Residents have raised concerns regarding the change in service and how it will impact the elderly and those with disabilities, particularly in the winter.

"They have said they will work with us," Uskiewicz said of Eagle Waste, but he added the company did not respond specifically on how it would handle those concerns.

Eagle Waste collects trash and recycling on all holidays with the exception of Christmas Day. If the holiday falls on a Monday or Tuesday, the collection schedule will be delayed until Wednesday.

Customers can upgrade to a larger 96-gallon trash cart for an additional $4 per month by contacting Eagle Waste at 715-477-0077. In the need of an additional recycling cart, one will be provided at no charge.

Questions regarding recycling and solid waste collection services can be directed to 715-477-0077.

For residential billing questions, contact the Bessemer city offices at 906-663-4311.

For more information, visit eaglewasteandrecycling.com.