San Diego Nixes Proposal to Revamp Waste Collection

Earlier this week, the San Diego City Council nixed a proposal to revamp the city’s waste collection system.

Right now, San Diego businesses and residents can choose from a list of haulers to collect their trash, no matter where they live in the city. However, changes recommended in a report that the city commissioned would have implemented a system of waste hauling districts, each with one trash collection company.

San Diego’s Environmental Services Department noted that the current system encourages competition among haulers and puts less pressure on the cost to consumers. It recommended keeping the current system, but stated haulers should be required to transition more quickly to cleaner and quieter trucks.

KPBS has more details:

The San Diego City Council on Monday voted against a proposal to revamp the city's trash collection system, siding with city staffers who were skeptical of the recommendations from an outside consultant.

The changes recommended in a report commissioned by the city would have created a system of waste hauling districts, each with one trash collection company. Currently, homes and businesses can choose from a list of waste haulers to pick up their trash, no matter where they live in San Diego. This is called a "non-exclusive" franchise agreement.

The report notes inefficiencies in the current system: Multiple dump trucks can end up collecting trash on the same street in a single week, and there can be hidden costs such as unnecessary wear and tear on streets and increased pollution because of the longer distances dump trucks have to drive.

Read the full article here.