PARMA, Ohio -- The transition of Parma’s garbage and recycling services from Republic Services to Rumpke Waste and Recycling has started.
That means it’s in with Rumpke’s green and brown carts and out with Republic’s blue containers.
Over the next four weeks, more than 120,000 waste and recycling carts will be delivered and removed citywide. The operation is nothing short of massive, which means there are plenty of opportunities for resident confusion.
“Rumpke started delivering carts to our residents last week,” Mayor Tim DeGeeter said. “Residents are instructed not to use the Rumpke carts until Feb. 1, when that contract goes into effect.
“In the meantime, our current provider, Republic, informed us that they will begin removing their carts left on the tree lawns starting on Jan. 25, which is the last week residents should put any garbage in their current Republic carts.”
While Rumpke is currently delivering roughly 8,000 carts a day, Parma Service Director Brian Higgins described the pickup as a logistical headache for Ohio’s seventh-largest city.
“We have more than 30,000 homes, which you have to remember each gets two carts,” Higgins said. “Republic is going to have to go around with trucks and trailer and bust the carts down.
“Also, it’s wintertime, so picking them up will take longer. Who knows down the road how much wind we’re going to have, how much snow we’re going to have. There might be a little headache with the time of the year, but we couldn’t control when this contract ended.”
Parma’s new five-year contract with Rumpke includes a monthly residential garbage fee of $15.40. The only noticeable changes of service for residents involves weekly bulk pickup and yard waste now accepted in garbage cans.
“We’re looking forward to serving the residents of Parma,” Rumpke Region Vice President Paul Marker said in a press release. “We’ll continue to work collaboratively with the city to ensure the best service for the whole community.”
In terms of recycling items, Rumpke accepts plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, glass bottles, jars, aluminum and steel cans, cereal boxes, 12-pack containers, cardboard, office paper, newspaper, magazines, junk mail, envelopes, telephone books and paper grocery bags.
“Something we’ve been told by Rumpke is the lids (to the carts) might not fit properly on delivery, but it’s our understanding that’s part of the process and the lids will settle over time,” DeGeeter said.
“We ask residents to be patient. I think our residents will be impressed with the service that Rumpke will provide us.”
Read more news from the Parma Sun Post.