Lincolnshire looking to simplify trash pickup with single company

One company has been hauling away Lincolnshire homeowners' garbage for more than a decade.

Now village leaders are considering making a deal with a single firm to handle trash from local businesses and a few multifamily residential complexes, too. Right now, businesses are free to choose their garbage company.

Proponents say a villagewide franchise arrangement similar to the one covering residential neighborhoods could reduce the number of garbage trucks on local roads and lower the cost to consumers.

"We'd like an opportunity to save our businesses money," Village Manager Bob Irvin said.

The village hasn't targeted a firm yet or even agreed to pursue an exclusive contract with a single company. Officials are at the start of the process and still have public hearings and a mandatory 15-month waiting period ahead of them, Irvin said.

Such a deal would cover services for 175 local businesses and three multifamily residential complexes, Irvin said. The residential complexes are ones that use large garbage bins, he said.

Waste Management has been the village's exclusive residential garbage removal company for about 13 years, Irvin said.

The proposal has been opposed by the Illinois chapter of the National Solid Wastes Management Association, a trade group representing trash haulers. Such a deal will eliminate choice, will limit recycling options and won't save business owners money, a report from the organization states.

Peggy Macenas, executive director of the association's Illinois chapter, criticized the proposed deal as a monopoly that would stifle innovation and competition.

"Let us compete," she said.

Village officials won't agree to a deal if it doesn't reduce consumers' fees, Irvin insisted.

Additionally, a proposed franchise fee that could generate money for the village "is not a done deal," Irvin said.

Although he's fielded questions about the proposal, Irvin said he hasn't heard any complaints about it, other than those from the trade group.

Business owners seem to be taking a "wait and see" approach, Irvin said.