Garbage can census: Empty every other day?

Map of corner can locations (CLICK)

Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr. says that the Department of Public Services (DPS) is looking an option that would empty the City's trash cans every other day at a cost of $639,800.

His report to City Council on the Corner Can program is the result of Councilmember Chris Monzel's January 9 motion to have an inventory of all of the City's public garbage cans.

Saying that litter and trash are contributors to blight, Monzel stressed the need for a unified City garbage policy.

According to Dohoney, the number of corner cans within the City has increased from approximately 1,500 in 2000 to 2,379 today, but the amount of money budgeted to service the cans has not increased.

He also says that:

* 552 cans are in the central business district
* 987 cans are located in neighborhood business districts
* 840 cans are in residential neighborhoods identified as "highly littered"

The City follows a fairly strict protocol when determining where to place corner cans.

After receiving a service request at the Customer Service Communication Center, a service area coordinator at DPS evaluates the proposed site using the following criteria:

* Is the location at a bus stop?
* Is it within a business district?
* Is it at or neat a convenience store, deli, or other source of litter where a problem is evident?

If a criterion is met, the can must be placed. If there are no cans available, the site is placed on a witing list for the next available can.

If no criteria are met, DPS contacts the citizen who issued the request and the case is closed.

This process usually takes less than 48 hours.

The current style of cans was purchased in early 2000. New cans with liners cost $572 each, and replacement liners cost $36 each.

New cans are usually replaced on an as-needed basis and are assumed to be able to last for 10 years. Requests for replacement typically come from citizens, damage reports from accidents, or DPS inspection.

Since 1996, the City averages an annual appropriation of $175,000 for replacement cans.

DPS currently has 120 new cans on standby, 37 due to be shipped, and 32 used cans in reusable condition.

A crew of three sanitation specialists empty the CBD cans nightly, while the other cans receive regular service on a weekly basis. Some cans in high-traffic areas are emptied twice a week.

According to Dohoney, inappropriate use of the corner cans is a common problem.

"Often residents and businesses place household and commercial waste in the cans causing the cans to overflow and appear as if the crews have not emptied the cans," he wrote.

He also says that people foraging through the cans for food or recyclables can leave them unsightly.

"This problem can never be eradicated," he wrote. "However, more frequent collection service will certainly reduce the problem."

Dohoney says that DPS has studied three scenarios for increasing service: Emptying every can in the City daily ($1.3 million), emptying them every other day ($639,800), or servicing neighborhood business district cans every day ($627,000).

DPS is recommending every-other-day service and will make a request for the additional funding in the 2009-2010 City budget.

Previous reading on BC:
Monzel wants garbage can census (1/16/08)