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IESI will deliver more than 2,000 blue recycling bins to Princeton residents later this month.

More cans, less trash for $1.60 per month

By Jennifer Fike
Staff Writer

In about a month Princeton residents will have two cans to roll out on trash day. The city council voted July 28 to approve a bi-monthly recycling service through IESI, which currently handles the city’s trash pickup. 

The new service will go into effect some time in August or September and will allow residents to recycle plastics, glass, cardboard, paper, aluminum, steel and tin by placing those materials into a separate 65-gallon bin that will be cleared on trash day twice a month.

Though residents may choose whether or not to take advantage of the service, all Princeton households will be required to pay the additional $1.60 per month to make the recycling program a reality. 

The council first seriously considered adding a home-based recycling program to residents’ services back in June but hesitated to approve it without a better idea of how the public would respond.

Though city staff informed the council that Princeton’s city receptacle was being filled to capacity every two weeks, councilmembers were unclear how many residents would utilize at-home bins.

IESI suggested their company run a month-long 100-home trial in order to see how many residents would participate in the program. Council approved the free trial and, in early July, 116 carts were delivered to residents on Meadow View Drive, Sage Drive, Winding Meadow Trail, Bonnie View Drive, Oxford Loop and Harrelson Drive.

July 28, Henry Lew, IESI’s operations manager, said that by the fourth week there was 70 percent participation, meaning that 80 of the 116 houses that received cans placed recyclables in their bins and rolled them out for pickup.

Over the course of the trial, Lew said the majority of feedback his company received was positive.

IESI received 67 calls or e-mails in favor of the program, and only five opposed, he informed the council. Furthermore, Lew said many residents had already contacted IESI to ask when they could sign up to receive the service permanently.

During the council meeting, Elizabeth Combs, public relations and recycling coordinator for IESI read a few of the positive e-mails from clients.

“So excited we finally have this program,” Jennifer Osborn said in an e-mail to the company. Osborn asked if she could sign up for the service without waiting until the end of the trial.

Another Princeton resident, Monica Rankin, said “I am so happy that Princeton has finally decided to add a recycling program to the city.” Like many residents who move to Princeton, Rankin said she was surprised Princeton did not already have a recycling program.

“Recycling is very important to me so needless to say I am very happy that recycling is now an option in Princeton. Thank you guys for caring about the environment!” she said.

Both city staff and IESI employees informed the council that many residents who move to Princeton request they be placed in the city’s recycling program. When the new residents are informed that Princeton does not have a program in place they are shocked, City Administrator Lee Lawrence said.

Prior to the vote to adopt IESI’s program, Princeton was one of the only cities in Collin County that did not offer a recycling program to all of its residents. 

IESI already provides Prosper, Melissa, McKinney and Farmersville with recycling services. After several years of service, McKinney has reached an 85 to 90 percent participation rate, Lew said.

Though most of the councilmembers said they agreed the service was a necessary addition to the city’s offerings, not everyone was happy about the decision.

Councilmember J.M. Caldwell said what “turned him off” was that he had to rinse out his cans before he could put them into recycling. IESI asks that residents rinse out their cans and bottles before placing them in the bin, but they will not refuse receptacles with unrinsed materials, Lew said.

“If you’re gonna have so many requirements, I would not be interested,” Caldwell said. After his fellow councilmembers approved the program three to one, Caldwell said he would like the recycling bin to be removed from his home.

Caldwell was one of three residents who requested the recycling bin be removed. Lew said the company would see that the cans were cleared, but like all Princeton residents, Caldwell will still be required to pay the additional $1.60 per month for the service.

The fee was perhaps the primary reason Caldwell said he was against the program. There are families in Princeton that can hardly pay their water bill, Caldwell said. “This should not be mandatory,” he said.

Mayor pro tem Billy Combest said, “The people that contacted me, the vast majority did not want this because it will cost them money.”

Though the other councilmembers expressed sensitivity about the raise in costs, they disagreed with Caldwell’s vote against the program.

“I think it’s very important that we do some sort of recycling program,” Mayor Ken Bowers said. In addition to environmental concerns, Bowers said he thought that for many households recycling could end up saving families money.

For families paying $9 a month for an extra trash bin, $1.60 a month is going to save them money, he said. Using his own household as an example, he said that much of what he was paying $9 to throw away was recyclable and could fit into the blue bin for less than what he is currently paying. Plus, he said, it keeps a lot of waste out of a landfill.

Councilman Rick Wheeler said he could relate to Caldwell’s opinion, and he understood that not everyone has grown up with the same green-mentality children today are learning in school, but he said, “Over the last 20 years we’ve really begun to use more plastics. Those do not go away.”

Wheeler also said, “We need to be mindful of what impact our generation is having on the environment. It’s very important for our future generations.”

When Caldwell again brought up the additional cost, Bowers said “We’re talking $1.60 a month. I would highly suggest and be in favor of moving forward with this.” Shortly after his statement the council voted to approve the program.

Based on the council’s decision, IESI has already ordered approximately, 2,300 carts for Princeton residents. Lew said IESI hopes to distribute the receptacles within a week or two of their arrival, which should be in August.

By September, Princeton residents should have their 65-gallon blue bins  available for recycling, unless they personally request to remain a one-can household.

Those residents will still be required to pay for the service, but they will not be forced to recycle or to house their new, blue recycling bin.