NEWPORT BEACH : Trash Haulers Asked to Increase Recycling

The city issued an informal warning to trash haulers Monday, threatening to move toward an exclusive franchise for solid waste collection if the independent companies do not increase recycling enough to meet state guidelines.

General services director David Niederhaus told the City Council at its afternoon study session that Newport Beach would not meet the state mandate of 25% recycling by 1995 unless the 15 companies that currently collect businesses’ garbage significantly improve their recycling efforts. According to reports from the haulers, about 14% of commercial, industrial and demolition waste is now being recycled.

Niederhaus said the companies’ compliance with the recycling mandate varies according to whether they own or have easy access to transfer stations and recycling facilities. He and City Manager Kevin J. Murphy told the council that a franchise with one or a few companies would increase recycling while improving accountability and bringing revenue to city coffers.

During the first six months of the year, Dewey’s Rubbish Service--the city’s largest collector with nearly 11,000 tons--recycled only 4% of the trash it picked up in Newport Beach, according to statistics Niederhaus gave the council.

Ware Disposal, which picked up only 367 tons, recycled 46%.

National Refuse Service picked up 51 tons and recycled none, and 5-Star Rubbish did not provide collection figures to the city as requested.

Repeated warnings from city officials have not significantly improved recycling, Niederhaus said, adding that his office will consider rejecting license renewals of those companies that are not cooperating with the city’s attempt to document recycling. But representatives of the trash companies offered angry testimony about the difficulties of recycling, and council members shied away from the idea of an exclusive franchise.

“Talking about franchises and monopolies is not the way to go. It’s not the democratic way, it’s not the American way,” said Madelene Arakelian, owner of the South Coast Refuse Corp., which recycles 10% of the trash it collects in Newport Beach. “I know you all think you know the trash business--but I’ve been doing it for 40 years, I’ve even driven the trucks and pushed the containers.”

The council made no move toward establishing a single franchise, but Niederhaus plans to send a written warning to all 15 companies that unless recycling increases, the city would have to reduce competition in order to reach compliance with the state law.

“It’s up to the waste haulers to realize that we’re not playing games anymore,” said Councilwoman Evelyn R. Hart to the dozen representatives of trash companies who attended Monday’s meeting. “The burden of proof is back on you.”