Questions Persist About Tulsa Trash Changes

Change is coming for Tulsa's trash service. There will be a new hauler - new trash carts - and a new plan for recycling.

And though the transition is months away - a lot of people have a lot of questions. One of the big questions is how much it's going to cost.

Trash Service FAQ

PDF: Proposed Changes

The following shows the difference between the current services and the proposed trash rates:

Current Trash Rates:

• $13.44 / month
• 2x weekly pickup
• Unlimited trash
• Recycling $2 / month

Proposed Trash Rates:

• $15.52 / month
• 1x weekly pickup
• 95 Gallon Cart
• Recycling free

The size of the cart a person needs determine what they'll pay. The rates are based on volume, so people with less trash can get the smallest 35 gallon cart and pay less.

There are still decisions to be made about leaves and limbs - what the city calls "green waste." When it's outside the carts, city crews will pick up separately and turn it in to compost.

Homeowners will pay extra for bags outside the carts - but how much is still under discussion.

"A lot of things go into the successful implementation of a new system, what to do with the old carts, what days of the week, etc, what's going to happen, so you'll see a lot more information, a lot of positive things for the city," said Cheryl Cohenour, TARE Board Chair.

One positive could be expanded recycling. Tulsa's landfill is huge, and there's plenty of room, but since every home will get a recycling cart at no extra cost - Tulsans could throw out significantly less trash.

"Recycling is not mandatory in this new program. It's definitely encouraged, but it's not mandatory," said Liz Hunt of the City of Tulsa.

The city says the average Tulsan throws out 43 pounds of trash a week - in about 5 bags. Less than 20 percent of Tulsans recycle, but of those, most only recycle aluminum cans.

Tulsa's current trash hauler will continue picking up - with no changes - until the new service starts. That could be as soon as July 1, 2012, but most likely will be in September or October.

New Solutions Trash Hauler

About the trash cans people have now - the city will pick them up and recycle them - or you can keep them, but they cannot be used for trash pickup at the curb. The new carts will have electronic tags that will be read by the trash truck.

Trash Cart Radio Tag Information

Related Stories: 

02/13/2012: Tulsa Finds 'New Solution' To Trash Collection

02/10/2012: Tulsa Trash Board Awards 10-Year Hauling Contract

02/06/2012: Tulsa Trash Troubles Date Back Decades

02/09/2012: Tulsa City Council Approves Financing For Trash Carts

01/27/2012: Tulsa Trash Service Becoming More Eco-Friendly

01/11/2012: City Of Tulsa's Recycling System To Expand

01/10/2012: Tulsa's Green Waste Rules Changing In July