By Kolby R. LaMarche

The City of Burlington’s residential recycling program is at a crossroads as the Department of Public Works (DPW) evaluates options to address operational challenges and rising costs. 

A memorandum from DPW Director Chapin Spencer and Maintenance Division Director Lee Perry, presented at last night’s council meeting, outlines the latest developments in the city’s recycling efforts and the ongoing Request for Price Quotes (RFPQ) process.

The municipally run recycling program has faced significant hurdles in recent years, including staffing shortages, workplace injuries, and insufficient funding. 

Despite measures like requiring wheeled toters, offering hiring bonuses, and increasing the Solid Waste Generation Tax by 70% for FY’26, the program is still struggling. Currently, only one of four staff positions is filled. 

In July, the City Council approved a resolution directing DPW to develop a fully-funded municipal recycling budget and issue an RFPQ to explore private sector options. 

The RFPQ, posted on July 15, sought bids for three- and five-year contracts for citywide residential recycling collection.

Only one bid was received by the August 18 deadline, from Casella, a local hauler, for a five-year contract at $129,567 per month ($1,554,804 annually) to service up to 13,000 residential dwelling units (RDUs). 

With the city’s $270,000 budgeted tip fees added, the total cost would be $1,824,804 per year, or $11.70 per RDU per month. 

Casella declined to bid on the three-year option. Feedback from other haulers cited the contract’s short term, limited scope (covering only recycling), and tight startup timeline as deterrents to bidding.

For comparison, DPW’s FY’26 budget for the municipal recycling program, excluding landfill and soil management costs, is approximately $1,500,000 annually, or $10.59 per RDU per month. 

The current Solid Waste Generation Tax, including those additional costs, is $12.00 per RDU per month. Based on this, DPW initially leaned toward keeping the program in-house, a direction shared with the Council’s Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee on September 30.

However, on October 2, Casella reached out to discuss their bid and explore a more competitive offer. 

Following an October 7 meeting, they submitted a supplemental price quote on October 10 for a seven-year contract with a January 1, 2027, start date. This extended timeline allows more time for staffing, vehicle procurement, and route planning. The new quote, described as “much more competitive,” is under review.

DPW is now taking several steps to inform its recommendation, expected to be presented to the DPW Commission in November and City Council in December. 

These include soliciting feedback from other licensed haulers on a seven-year contract term, consulting City Councilors on their willingness to approve such a term, and evaluating the pros and cons of Casella’s new quote versus maintaining the municipal program. 

Councilors, both Progressive and Democrat, expressed their reservations on the Casella bid, given that it seems cheaper to keep recycling in-house, under the city’s control. 

Many councilors, like Central District’s Melo Grant, believe the contract term with Casella could put the city in a difficult position, potentially leading to the city losing its authority over recycling forever. 

Options under consideration include accepting Casella’s five- or seven-year bids, rebidding with a longer contract term, keeping the program in-house with or without pursuing consolidated collection (recycling, trash, and organics), or transitioning to a private subscription model.

A related issue is the loss of revenue from larger residential properties opting for private haulers, who may offer competitive rates or additional services. To maintain a consolidated system, DPW is exploring a flow control ordinance to mandate that properties of a certain size use the city’s service or self-haul.