Tacoma is set to kick off every-other-week garbage collection beginning March 11, but not everyone will get their trash picked up during alternate weeks right away.
The program will begin with about 5,700 households in parts of North Tacoma that now have collection on Mondays, city officials announced.
City trash collectors will then gradually expand the program to Tacoma’s remaining 47,500 customers with other pick-up days.
City officials on Monday released the following timeline for the program, noting that exact implementation dates could change:
• For Monday garbage customers: Program begins in March/April
• Tuesday customers: June/July
• Wednesday customers: August/September
• Thursday customers: October/November
• Friday customers: April/May
Customers will receive notice by mail and phone before any changes occur, city officials said. Customers also will automatically receive double their current garbage capacity with either a new double-sized container or a second same-sized container.
Most customers’ garbage rates are proposed to stay the same for the next two years, but some customers who now have 60- or 90-gallon cans could see their bimonthly bills jump by $4.60 and $9 respectively, starting in March. The rate increases were approved several years ago under a phased-in initiative to move the city onto a volume-based garbage rate scale.
Customers can request smaller cans – and reduce their garbage bill – if, after using the new larger or second container, they find they don’t need that much room for garbage.
The city launched a pilot study of every-other-week trash collection in 2011 in an attempt to cut costs and shrink garbage streams. City officials say the program resulted in less garbage being thrown out, increased recycling, reduced vehicle emissions and greater collection efficiency.
Tacoma expects to save about $900,000 to $1.27 million per year once the program is fully implemented.
lewis.kamb@thenewstribune.com
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