Inverness looks into single-stream recycling

INVERNESS — There was a lot of trash talking at City Hall on Thursday night.

Representatives from Waste Management presented members of Inverness City Council with a program for a single-stream recycling program for city residents.

“You’ll be going from no program to a state-of-the-art program,” said Waste Management district manager Doug McCoy as he showed council members a sample 64-gallon recycling container on wheels.

The pilot program is an expansion of existing services to city residents who are current utility customers. Residents will be given the containers and billed an additional $3 per month, bringing the current Waste Management charges of $9.35 to $12.35 per month.

Customers won’t need to sign up, and neither can they “opt out,” said City Manager Frank DiGiovanni.

The beauty of single-stream recycling is its simplicity, McCoy said. People no longer have to separate plastics from glass and paper, neither do they have to drive to recycling sites.

Each recycling “tote” comes with a list of everything that goes into it: milk and liquid laundry soap jugs, cereal boxes, soda cans, etc. Residents simply fill it up, set it out at the curb on Wednesday and Waste Management trucks will come and pick it up.

The goal is to create a habit of separating recyclables from garbage and reduce the need for two days a week of trash pickup down to one day a week, saving residents’ money.

McCoy also spoke about a “Recyclebank” rewards program offering customers who participate in the recycling program discounts and deals from local and national businesses.

DiGiovanni said there will be no up-front or startup cost to the city or to residents.

If city council approves the program, it will begin within 60 to 90 days.

Chronicle reporter Nancy Kennedy can be reached at nkennedy@chronicleonline.com or 352-564-2927.