In cart request forms sent to the city, obtained by Reader’s Watchdog through an open records request, some residents reported carts going to abandoned houses.
Others claimed houses on their block that don’t usually recycle received one while other faithful recyclers were overlooked.
Karen Maynard, public education supervisor with the Department of Public Works, acknowledged in an interview that the audit wasn’t completely accurate and the rollout hasn’t been as smooth as she would have liked.
Still, she said, the majority of the grant-funded carts have been successfully delivered, while city workers have been juggling thousands of questions and requests and are working to get the new carts to qualifying households.
“We just want to make sure everybody who’s supposed to get one gets one,” she said.
Why didn’t I get a cart earlier this summer?
A three-week audit performed by contractor WasteRec in October and November 2020 determined which homes in the Urban Services District recycled and would need a 95-gallon cart.
Only addresses that recycled for at least one of those three weeks were put on the list to receive a free cart.
In cart request forms residents sent to the city, some Louisvillians complained they only recently moved into their new home and were not included on the free cart list, as the previous residents apparently didn’t recycle during the audit period.
Some reported they were out of town or in the hospital during the audit period. Others were upset about not getting notice from the city about the audit.
The audit wasn’t done more recently, Maynard said, because the city needed data months ago when applying for the grant.
Because the free, new carts were only intended for addresses using the small orange bins, households that already used a 65- or 95-gallon wheeled cart weren’t eligible for a free one.
“The grant was very specific, as to who these carts are to go to,” she said.
As The Courier Journal previously reported, that restriction has left some residents with overflowing carts as the city moved to a bi-weekly pickup schedule.
Maynard said she understands the frustration of those who aren’t eligible for a free cart — her household is in that group — but that she lacks a solution, at least for now.
She said her office has had discussions about future grant opportunities but that nothing has been decided. A February 2021 recycling presentation to the Metro Council noted that future phases of the program would aim to seek grants to "complete distribution of recycling carts to all households in (the Urban Services District)."
When will I get a recycling cart?
Those who were on the original audit list should have already received their cart, as a city contractor, OTTO, finished delivering those by early July.
Those who filled out a cart request form and are deemed eligible will be added to the list to receive a 95-gallon cart.
In July and into early August, metro employees were delivering a second round of carts, in addition to performing their regular duties.
They started deliveries to those with Monday recycling pickup and as of early August were delivering to Tuesday pickup addresses.
“It didn’t really make a dent,” Maynard said, noting the process was slow moving.
The contractor, however, returned to Louisville the week of Aug. 8 and started working on a list of some 2,700 addresses. Maynard said the contractor is now delivering the carts by ZIP code and estimates it will take about 10 days to complete the list.
“Hopefully more and more people each day are getting their minds at ease,” she said.
Anyone who submitted a cart request after the first week of August, when the list of 2,700 addresses was drafted, won’t receive a cart until later. Maynard did not have details about the next wave of cart deliveries.
I didn’t get a new cart and my existing one is overflowing. What do I do?
Public Works recommends buying another recycling cart from the city — the 95-gallon cart costs $53, including tax — or buy a 30- to 40-gallon container that has handles, a lid and can be labeled as recycling.
Labels are available for free at the Solid Waste office, 600 Meriwether Ave., or via an online request form.
Public Works also recommends crushing all containers and breaking down boxes to maximize cart space.
Some Metro Council members are offering discounted carts for their constituents. Find your council member at lojic.org/metro-council-districts.
Why switch to recycling carts?
The switch to larger recycling containers makes the move to a bi-weekly collection schedule possible, according to the city.
The carts’ lids also help keep recyclables inside the container, its wheels make moving it to the alley or street easier and the carts can be emptied by a truck instead of by workers bending over and lifting the small bins.
They’re also notably larger than the 18-gallon bins, giving residents more room to recycle. However, for residents who had already outgrown their 18-gallon bins, the carts may provide limited relief, given the less frequent collection schedule.
Exchanging a 65-gallon cart for a 95-gallon cart
In addition to the 28,000 grant-funded 95-gallon carts that are only meant for households using small bins, the city has bought additional 95-gallon carts that can be used for exchanges.
The city is allowing residents with 65-gallon carts to swap them for 95-gallon carts. Residents who did get a 95-gallon cart but prefer the 65-gallon version can also get it exchanged, according to Public Works. Exchanges can be requested via Metro311.
Maynard said the city won’t be giving refunds to those who bought a 95-gallon cart before the grant was secured.
What do I do with my orange recycling bin?
Keep it for other purposes or return it to the Waste Reduction Center, 636 Meriwether Ave., or any of three staffed recycling drop-off sites: 595 N. Hubbards Lane, 7219 Dixie Highway or 7201 Outer Loop.
Courtesy : https://www.courier-journal.com
