Changes to Tulsa's residential trash system

[RecycleMichael]

I thought I would start a thread to try and answer any questions people have about the new trash changes.

I am a fan of the proposed system.

Two carts, one for trash and one for recycling...both picked up the same day. The cost for the new system is projected to be about what I pay now.
The trucks will be CNG powered.

If you decide that you can get by with a medium size cart you can save a buck and a half and the smaller cart is another buck and a half even cheaper.

No one is forced to recycle. You can put everything into the trash cart if desired.

There will be extra charges for yard waste that doesn't fit into your trash cart. Composters and people who use mulching mowers won't pay for those who don't. Projected costs for bags for green waste should be around 75 to 80 cents per bag.

Any questions?

[Ed W]

Did they look at a separate poly cart for green waste, Michael?  Owasso has red carts for that, and the city picks them up from April through October, I think.  Residents pay an extra 4 or 5 dollars for the carts each month.

The city wanted to eliminate them, but residents were adamantly against it.  I think they're a good idea, but then again, I'm not from around here. 

[RecycleMichael]

There have been discussions about a seperate cart for green waste, but at this point they are not in the plans. Owasso has an excellent system and have successfully used carts for trash for years so it was easy to add another cart. I think Tulsa was cautious in going from no carts to two carts and three carts to start with would have caused more problems.

[Red Arrow]

Projected costs for bags for green waste should be around 75 to 80 cents per bag.

75 to 80 cents / bag including collection?  Sounds reasonable if it includes collection.

We are actually in Bixby and have a private hauler.  We have had once a week collection with a wheeled cart for probably 20 years.  It works fine.  

[RecycleMichael]

Yes. That price includes collection.

[Hoss]

75 to 80 cents / bag including collection?  Sounds reasonable if it includes collection.

We are actually in Bixby and have a private hauler.  We have had once a week collection with a wheeled cart for probably 20 years.  It works fine.  

Actually, that's reasonable and I'd be all for doing that.  Now that I've got most of the weeds rooted out of my yards now it won't be a big a task.  Just keeping it maintained now.

[carltonplace]

How does one truck pick up both trash and recycling or do we seperate it and they just throw it all back together?

[RecycleMichael]

two different trucks

[carltonplace]

Ah, OK.

carltonplace = fanoftheplan

[AngieB]

two different trucks

And they will all be CNG?

What happens to the MET in all of this?

[RecycleMichael]

The trucks will be CNG.

I don't know what will happen to the MET. I assume we will continue to offer recycling services to apartments and businesses not served by the new residential carts. The MET will probably expand to collect other things as well.

[Red Arrow]

I don't know what will happen to the MET. I assume we will continue to offer recycling services to apartments and businesses not served by the new residential carts. The MET will probably expand to collect other things as well.

The MET will still be needed in Bixby, Jenks...
The household items collection at the Fairgrounds will still be needed.

[Red Arrow]

Now that I've got most of the weeds rooted out of my yards now it won't be a big a task.  Just keeping it maintained now.

In the early 70s we were getting rid of sand spurs in the back yard. Manual extraction and one time we raked the whole back yard.  We got 46, yes forty six, lawn bags of clippings.  The haulers at the time took them all in one pickup.  For the last 20 years or so, there has been a limit of 6 bags more than the wheeled cart.  Put out 7 bags and they leave one for the next pickup.  I'm not fond of that since we only have extra stuff a few times a year but I understand their position.

[jne]

I only have yard waste about once year.  With mature oak trees, I have to do some serious leaf raking or I would have hella dead grass.  I have a mulch pile, but there comes a time when it is way more at once than I can pile.  I had ten bags this year and they left some of them at pickup.  I'm thrilled to be able to pay to have them all picked up and the price seems very reasonable.

[Conan71]

I only have yard waste about once year.  With mature oak trees, I have to do some serious leaf raking or I would have hella dead grass.  I have a mulch pile, but there comes a time when it is way more at once than I can pile.  I had ten bags this year and they left some of them at pickup.  I'm thrilled to be able to pay to have them all picked up and the price seems very reasonable.

I usually mow over the leaves to mulch them, but my Lawn Boy seems to have fried the "little black box" that makes spark, so I used my reel mower all year and had to rake and bag.  I was reminded of how much I hate raking, so I'll spend the $100 to buy a new ignition module and get the LB running again.  If for nothing else, fall leaf destruction.