Urbana will add days to recycling program

A Rumpke recycling truck grabs a recycling toter and flips it upside down as it collects recycling Thursday in Urbana. Urbana residents recycle so much their hauler is making changes to keep up with the amount of material being collected. Beginning the week of Nov. 1, Rumpke will add days to its collection in order to more efficiently keep up with the amount of material being left on the curb by residents, said Doug Crabill, community development manager for Urbana. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

A Rumpke recycling truck grabs a recycling toter and flips it upside down as it collects recycling Thursday in Urbana. Urbana residents recycle so much their hauler is making changes to keep up with the amount of material being collected. Beginning the week of Nov. 1, Rumpke will add days to its collection in order to more efficiently keep up with the amount of material being left on the curb by residents, said Doug Crabill, community development manager for Urbana. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Urbana residents recycle so much their hauler is making changes to keep up with the amount of material being collected.

Beginning the week of Nov. 1, Rumpke will add days to its collection in order to more efficiently keep up with the amount of material being left on the curb by residents, said Doug Crabill, community development manager for Urbana.

Rumpke previously picked up recycled material on Wednesday and Thursday, but will now add Tuesday and Friday. The city is providing a map to residents highlighting which day the material will be collected starting next month. The map shops the city will be divided into four sections, each with a different collection day.

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Residents in a Northeast section of the city will have material collected on Tuesday. The collection date will be Wednesday for residents in the southeast part of Urbana, and Thursday will cover the southwest. Materials will be collected on Friday in the Northwest portion of the city.

“We are excited to say that we’ve seen tremendous success with the recycling program and are updating the number of service days to provide exceptional customer service,” the city’s letter states. “Changing your recycling service day will allow us to serve you better.”

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Residents are asked to place their bins within three feet of the street before 6 a.m. on their service day. Officials from Rumpke did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday.

Crabill said the city’s recycling rate is higher than many other communities. That’s good for the environment, but the company was having trouble keeping up with the amount of material collected.

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“It’s good news the program is doing well and people are recycling and participating, which is what they want,” Crabill said of Rumpke.

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The city previously had a contract with Waste Management, but opened bids when their previous contract expired. Crabill said the previous rate for recycling for customers was $3.17 per month, but the lowest bid was from Rumpke at about $3.25 per month in the most recent contract.

Crabill said about 4,000 customers are part of the program.

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