Trash collection fees rising in Buffalo Grove

Buffalo Grove residents will be paying more for garbage collection beginning in May, under a new five-year contract with Waste Management approved Tuesday by village trustees.

In the first two years of the deal, the cost for a single-family household will increase from $15.55 to $17.65 for unlimited solid waste, recycling and landscape collection with a cart, and from $14.50 to $16.55 without a cart.

Fees will rise an additional dollar for the final three years of the contract.

For a multifamily unit with a central container, the cost will rise from $9.86 to $11.70 in the first two years and up to $12.35 in years three through five.

The cost will include a $1.40 monthly fee for a new service called At Your Door, which will allow residents to call Waste Management to arrange for pickup of items not accepted in the weekly collection, such as electronics, paint and medical waste. The village will can opt out of the program after year three of the contract.

Waste Management will continue to collect waste at village facilities at no cost and also will handle special events such as Buffalo Grove Days, National Night Out, the farmers market and the Fourth of July fireworks.

"The village is able to offer a much higher level of service than any other comparable community, while still keeping our rates within the market average." Community Development Director Christopher Stilling said.

Trustee Jeffrey Berman voted against the contract and criticized the At Your Door service, which has a two- to three-week wait. He said that could deter people from using the service.

"We want to make it worthwhile for our residents to participate in a recycling program rather than just dump it in the landfill. And if we have artificial barriers to participation, you have essentially created a situation where Waste Management is getting a profit - because they are getting paid for this service whether we take advantage of it or not," he said.

Trustee Joanne Johnson disagreed, saying she believes residents will use the service, even with a long wait.

"I have more confidence in our residents, because I have in the past used the recycling events that we have in Buffalo Grove and I have waited an hour in line to recycle a printer or a TV. I have waited often months for those events to roll around," she said. "For $36 or $37 over three years, I think this is a bargain to try."