Politics & Government

St. Michael Recycling at Highest Level in History

With surrounding communities moving residents onto a full "single-sort" program, the city might explore its options.

 St. Michael residents have no problems going “green,” at least when it comes to recycling.

According to a report given to the St. Michael City Council Tuesday night by City Engineer/Assistant Administrator Steve Bot, about 20 percent of St. Michael households have “opted in” on a single-sort recycling cart, which allows them to pile in all recyclables into a container simple to a curbside garbage can.

That’s allowed the city to increase its recyclables collected count by more than two pounds per household, Bot said. The average amount collected rose from 30.8 pounds in 2009, to more than 32.9 last year.

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In fact, numbers in the summer – when “snowbirds” are back in town – are even higher. Second and third quarter estimates (April 1 through Oct. 1) averaged more than 35 pounds of recyclables (bin and cart) per household, with about 3,000 households participating.  

“The participation has been really nice so far, and we’re adding households every month,” Bot said.

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At $2 per container, residents are “paying” to recycle. But, they’re actually getting a deal. Veolia, which is in charge of the city’s recycling program, actually charges a little more than $3 per container.

“We eat the cost,” Bot said, which the city pays for with a line item in its general budget.

The remaining 80 percent of St. Michael homes participate in “bin” recycling, or the popular blue bins that came out when the city first offered recycling years ago. While that option is technically “free,” the aforementioned $145,000 recycling budget is paid with property taxes, Bot explained.

As neighboring communities, most notably Albertville and Monticello, have moved to single sort carts, there have been few complaints, Bot said.

“In fact, there are a few positives. You have less waste blowing around or out of the bins because the carts are covered and most everything collected is sealed inside there. Plus, those communities have seen proven increases in recycling with the carts,” Bot explained.

That piqued the council’s interest. Should the city, some members asked, move to an all-cart program?

That would bring about a new charge on residents’ bills, Bot explained. Albertville, for example, charges $2.89 per month on its utility bill for the carts. Charging residents has moved the recycling budget out of the general fund.

City Administrator Bob Derus said placing the entire community into a single sort program might get the city a lower rate with Veolia, or another bidder, than the $3.32 per bin it pays now.

The council did not take action on the item, but approved the report and praised the recycling program. Bot said he’d bring the single sort issue back at a study session the council has planned in May. 


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