Paducah city officials are considering introducing a curbside recycling service next year.
The City Commission met Tuesday to discuss the city's contract with solid waste disposal company Republic Services which expires in June, 2015.
Currently, the city pays Republic to collect approximately 26,000 tons of solid waste annually from 9,562 residential and commercial customers. The city also pays Greater Paducah Sustainability Project a monthly fee for diverting recyclables from the waste stream.
"The objectives of this plan would be to establish a curbside recycling program to our existing garbage collection customers, do so within the existing customer charge if possible," said City Manager Jeff Pederson.
Under that plan, residents will have two bins: one for waste to the landfill and the other for recyclables. The city will also purchase three new collection trucks to pick up trash on a given day and recyclables on another.
The addition will increase expenses $89,000 annually. Public works operations manager Chris Yarber says that increase comes from $20,000 in education and advocacy, a $220,000 increase in fuel, a $180,000 increase in maintenance and a $615,000 drop in personnel costs.
Customers can opt to have multiple dumpsters or call to have addition trash collected both with a fee.
Paducah's current trash collection protocol is under contract through June.
