I heard through the grapevine that the city council Transportation and Public Works committee is set to vote on a new recycling contract next Tuesday and the main contenders appear to be RecycleAmerica (Waste Management) and Eureka Recycling.
Bids were reviewed by RW Beck and Dan Krivit and Associates and for those who like the details, you can download their report using this link. http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2004-meetings/20040116/docs/09_Resid ental_Recycling_Program.pdf If that monstrosity breaks on you, use this one: http://makeashorterlink.com/?D1F326217 But, here is the short and sweet version: Processors pay the city for their recyclable materials, and then sort and sell it to other markets. Waste Management is offering the city a "fixed price" for the material, meaning they will never pay the city less or more than this price no matter what the markets are paying them for the material. Sounds safe, but the catch is that everything ABOVE that price, Waste Management keeps as profit. Markets were paying significantly more than Waste Management's price last year (as can be seen in Table 2 of the report by the number of times Eureka is listed as the "best price"), and all indicators suggest that the markets for recycled material (especially paper, a big component of the Minneapolis recycling stream) are going to continue to rise. Because Eureka is a non-profit, they are offering the city 100% of the revenues. That money can then be reinvested into the recycling program helping to cover cost for collection and expand waste reduction programs, making recycling much more sustainable and successful for Minneapolis. Eureka believes that Minneapolis residents should benefit from the revenues made through their recycling efforts. Another concern with Waste Management is their decision-making for managing recyclables is based solely on their own bottom line whereas Eureka's is based on ensuring the highest and best use for the recyclables we go to all that effort to separate and collect. That means that while Eureka will make sure your glass bottles get used to make other glass products, Waste Management is happy to use crushed glass in landfill cover. Is that what you spent all that time washing and sorting bottles for? The T&PW committee members are Sandra Colvin Roy (chair), Scott Benson, Barret Lane, Robert Lilligren, Gary Schiff and Dean Zimmermann. Mark Snyder Windom Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
