The City continues to study a potential new consolidated system for the collection of residential household trash, recyclables, and food scraps. Under such a system, the City would license a particular hauler to pick up from all residential customers in a specific geographic area – or potentially have the City do the collection itself. Public Works is undertaking this process following a 2018 City Council resolution in order to determine if consolidated collection can reduce the cost of waste collection for residents while also reducing environmental, infrastructure and noise impacts.

Preliminary findings were presented at a public meeting and to the Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee (TEUC) in 2020. Our consultants found that there were likely to be community benefits from a consolidated system. The scenarios studied involved private haulers managing a consolidated system with municipal oversight. City Councilors requested a fully municipally run consolidated system also be studied. At the 3/23 TEUC meeting we will present a draft budget scenario for a municipal system and gather feedback. While no decisions will be made at this meeting, Councilors on the TEUC will decide later this spring what recommendation to bring to the full City Council.

Please visit the project webpage at https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/dpw/Maintenance/Consolidated for background material; or visit the TEUC page for meeting details, agenda and how to watch, https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/CityCouncil/TEUC.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, questions and comments can be sent to DPWCommunications@burlingtonvt.gov. Thank you!