St. Charles transitioning to new garbage company
St. Charles and its new garbage vendor are enacting a plan to ensure a smooth transition when their five-year contract goes into effect July 1.
The city council this month approved hiring Lakeshore Recycling Services rather than sticking with Florida-based Advanced Disposal, the city's waste company for the last 13 years. Despite the change in vendors, residents will have the same garbage collection options available to them - plus some new services - at a lower cost, city officials said.
To inform residents about the new contract, Lakeshore is holding an open house from 3 to 7 p.m. today in the St. Charles City Council Chambers, 2 E. Main St. The transition plan also was presented to aldermen Monday.
"The foundation of the contract with the city is providing its residents with the high service standards they expect," said Bill Kenney, Lakeshore's municipal sales manager. "This all starts with an efficient implementation plan that we strive to make as seamless as possible."
The Chicago-area company is charging $2.60 for each trash or yard waste sticker, which is about 80 cents cheaper than current sticker prices. Half-size garbage bags will cost $2 each.
Residents also have the option to rent a 35-, 65- or 95-gallon garbage toter for a monthly fee ranging from $17.25 to $19.25, according to city documents. A recycling cart is being provided for free, Kenney said, noting toter sizes can be switched out at no cost from mid-July through the month of August.
Lakeshore has sent out mailers letting residents know of the upcoming changes, and has been attaching informational tags onto new refuse and recycling carts being delivered to each household, Kenney said. The cart distribution process is about 60 percent complete and will continue through this week, he said.
Advanced Disposal haulers are expected to pick up their toters during the company's last garbage collection cycle this week, said Tim Wilson, the city's environmental services manager. The Lakeshore carts should be used starting July 2 for households on the east side of the river and July 3 for the west side.
Residents' regularly scheduled pickup days won't change, Kenney said.
Leftover Advanced Disposal stickers and bags still will be accepted through July 31, city officials said. Aside from Aldi, the same retailers that sold Advanced Disposal stickers also will sell them for Lakeshore.
A similar implementation plan, including the amnesty period for using old stickers, is underway in Geneva, where a new waste contract with Lakeshore also will begin next month.
St. Charles residents who have questions or want to switch programs or toter sizes should contact Lakeshore at (630) 581-8650 or StCharles@LRSrecycles.com. Additional information can be found on the city's website.