ANAHEIM : Trash-Pickup Rate Hike Sent to Council

Residential trash rates need to be increased by $1.36 a month, primarily because the city is not earning as much money on its curbside recycling program as it did three years ago, city officials announced Tuesday.

If approved by the City Council next week, residents would pay $15.22 a month for trash pick-up, street sweeping and sewer maintenance. They currently pay $13.86 a month. This will be the first increase in 30 months and will be retroactive to Sept. 1.

Commercial customers who use residential trash cans would pay $41.07 a month, a $2.67 increase. Businesses with one large bin would see their monthly rate increase to $107.92, from $104.59.

The city’s trash hauling is done by Taormina Industries, operating under the name Anaheim Disposal, which has had the city’s contract for almost 50 years. Its revenue would increase by 13 cents per customer. The remainder of the rate increases would cover increased landfill charges, city billing costs and make up for declining revenue from recycled goods.

City officials said that among eight Orange County cities with similar sanitation systems, only Brea charges less at approximately $12 a month. But, they said, Brea residents have to pay extra to have large items picked up.

Among 27 cities in the county with commercial pickup, Anaheim’s will be the 14th highest, officials said.

Anaheim residents separate recyclable goods--cans, bottles and newspapers--from their trash. The city then sells them and uses the profits to keep its rates down.

Assistant City Manager Tom Wood said the price per ton for recycled goods has decreased from $48 a ton in 1989 to about $18 today. He said other cities have recently instituted recycling programs, which has caused a glut of recycled goods, driving down the price.

The city received about $39 million in 1989 from its sale of recycled goods, but expects to make only about $25 million this year, even though significantly more bottles, cans and newspapers are collected.