What Do Other Cities Residents Pay for Waste and Recycling Service?
Several Small Bay Area Cities Have Simpler Contracts for Services
Albany, California negotiated until it reached an agreement less than a month before new garbage removal services began. Even then, one Councilmember objected, wanting further efforts to reduce costs to citizens. The Albany City Council approved a ten year solid waste & recycling agreement in October 2011 with the following provisions:
Seniors 62 years of age and older receive a 20% discount on service.
Disabled residents with an ongoing physical disability that prevents them from being able to wheel a cart curbside may qualify for an exemption to curbside service (carts will be serviced from location as designated by resident – typically side or backyard)
Beginning November 1, 2011 the standard residential household monthly rate was $36.37. With a cap of 5% increase annually, the standard residential household rate increased from $36.37 to $38.04 effective November 1, 2012.
As of May 1, 2017 backyard residential pickup was an additional $15.21. Low waste generators receive monthly trash service (10 gallon) and recycle service (64 gallon) and weekly organics service (64 gallon) at the monthly rate of $15.25. See the complete residential household monthly rates listed here.
Corte Madera, CA differentiates between the city’s “flat” and “hill” areas and offers a list of “Lifeline” rates to seniors, disabled and low income residents. The complete rates are listed here
The City of Piedmont has taken a position that a senior consideration for garbage service is a violation of State Law and will not allow it as part of our single bid garbage contract. Mysteriously what is held to be illegal in Piedmont is common practice elsewhere:
Mill Valley Refuse Service serves Almonte, Alto, Belvedere, Corte Madera, Homestead, Marin County, Mill Valley, Strawberry and Tiburon; all nine Municipalities provide exemptions for backyard service at curbside rates for (1) any age 70 Senior on signature alone that requests the service and (2) any disabled person with a doctor’s letter. The City of Berkeley has the same two exemptions and lowers the qualifying age to 62 and does not require a doctor’s letter for the handicapped exemption. City of Albany has both a disability exemption and an age 62 low-income discount exemption. Santa Clarita has an age 60 low-income discount exemption. No doubt there are many more California cities with an age based senior exemption of backyard service at curbside rates.