City report says Columbia trash system reducing waste; residents still have complaints
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A new report shows the City of Columbia has been collecting 25% less trash than it did last year, and residential recycling has increased by 19%.
The report was compiled from city data and feedback from trash and recycling customers and was presented to the Columbia City Council on Monday night. Among its findings are that the city's pay-as-you-throw trash system -- maligned by some for its restrictions on type and number of bags -- has reduced waste going into the landfill.
However, the city has received 2,201 calls about the trash system in the past six months, including complaints about the city logo bags required under the new system. Some common complaints listed in the report are that bags are too small, a resident never received their vouchers or lost them and -- most commonly -- the bags are too expensive. Under the system, the city provides the equivalent of two bags per week to households, who must then pay extra for more.
The city also now requires pickup of bulky items to be scheduled ahead of time.
ABC 17 News surveyed a small group of residents at a recycling drop-off center, and everyone agreed the trash system could use some improvement in one way or another.
The drop-off centers have seen problems that accelerated with the city's suspension of curbside residential recycling pickup last year. Pickup has since resumed, but complaints about dirty drop-off areas have not stopped.
The two Moser's stores on North Keene Street and Business Loop 70 are ending their partnership with city utilities. Effective Wednesday, there will no longer be recycling bins outside the two grocery stores.
City utilities spokesman Matt Nestor said Moser's made the decision because people were using the recycling locations incorrectly.
"A lot of bulky items that people were dropping off and just leaving in the parking lot, and Moser's felt it was interfering with their business and we agreed and so we agree to remove them from their properties," Nestor said.
