September 21, 2012
Dear Resident of the City of Morgantown:
The City of Morgantown has recently entered into a new five-year refuse and recycling contract with its current service provider, Republic Waste Services of West Virginia, formerly Allied Waste Services. A noteworthy point of the new agreement is how the community can promote better recycling by its residents and businesses. For the past four years, many groups throughout the community participated in meetings to discuss and review solid waste and recycling service options for the residents and businesses. As a result, Morgantown’s City Council made a decision to implement a citywide automated “cart” recycling service. The program has been established as “Morgantown’s Clean Community Concept”.
Communities that moved to a “cart” recycling program have seen recycling participation increase by more than an astounding 25% and the actual materials recovered for reuse increase more than 85%.
Household trash collection will not be affected by this program and should continue to be handled as it has for the past several years. Recycling collection services effective October 1, 2012, will become weekly. You will no longer need to follow the current every-other-week schedule for collection. Put out your recycling each week on the same day as your solid waste. If your cart is not full, you need not put it out until your next scheduled collection day. Enclosed is a list of materials that can go in your recycling cart.
Please note the following:
- Your basic charge from Republic for the solid waste collection services and wheeled-cart recycling services will be reflected on your October 2012 invoice and will remain the same through September 30, 2014.
- Your invoice will continue to be adjusted every six months for fuel and disposal adjustments as calculated by the West Virginia Public Services Commission.
- Wheeled carts are available for display in the lobby of the Morgantown City Municipal Building located at 389 Spruce Street, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- The maintenance of carts will be the responsibility of Republic Services throughout the term of the contract.
- Residents will be issued a Green 65-gallon cart as the basic service offering for recycling collection. Senior citizens can instead request a 35-gallon cart but must do so by contacting Republic Services.
- The older curbside recycling bins (square or crate-type bins) will no longer be utilized after January 7, 2013.
The automated recycling program will begin the week of January 7, 2013. The carts will be delivered the week of December 10, 2012. Once the program begins, please do not use the recycling bin you hand-carry to the curb, as only recyclables in wheeled carts will be collected.
Only those Senior citizens who wish to exercise their option to select a 35-gallon cart need to respond to Republic Services by way of the attached form or by submitting a request by email to morgantownwv@republicservices.com.
Future maintenance of carts can be obtained by calling the local Republic Services office at: (304) 366-8900, or by emailing morgantownwv@republicservices.com.
Residents may NOT use their own carts with wheels for the automated recycling program, as the wheeled carts supplied through Republic Services are specially designed to withstand the automated truck that is used for automated recycling. Again, Republic will be responsible for the maintenance of the wheeled carts.
Should you have any questions on the automated recycling program, please contact Republic Services at 304-366-8900 or email your question(s) to morgantownwv@republicservices.com. Trash and recycling information is always available on the city website at www.morgantownwv.gov/.
Sincerely,
Terrence Moore, ICMA-CM
City Manager