Flint residents could miss out on $4.3 million grant-funded recycling and trash carts if city council fails to approve Priority Waste extension

Tonight, the Flint City Council has another opportunity to approve a contract extension with Priority Waste that would provide enhanced waste collection services for Flint residents at no additional cost. If the council does not approve this contract, Flint residents stand to lose out on trash and recycling carts provided by a $4.3 million grant program.

The City of Flint administration has assembled a partnership to provide free distribution and maintenance of both trash and recycling carts to all Flint residents. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) granted $1 million, and The Recycling Partnership has granted up to $3.3 million to cover the materials, manufacturing, and distribution of the trash and recycling carts.

The Flint City Council has accepted the grant funds, but the Recycling Partnership requires that the City of Flint have a waste collection provider in place who can manage the carts before the grant contract can be signed. The City of Flint’s waste hauler, Priority Waste, is willing to provide additional services related to the carts at no increased cost through 2028. For this to be feasible for Priority Waste, they need to be able to tentatively plan for continuity of service.

Flint’s largest union ASCFME Local 1600 supports the proposed recycling program and contract extension, noting that the City of Flint will retain ownership of the trash and recycling carts, regardless of who the waste hauler is.

“I think it’s important that the City of Flint utilizes this opportunity to get recycling and trash carts for all Flint residents,” ASCFME President Sam Muma said. “We don’t want to miss out on this opportunity to procure equipment that represents a longer-term investment in improving city services.”

The proposed contract extension would lock-in Priority Waste’s rates at $16.45 per household through 2028, although the City of Flint would reserve the right to terminate the contract at any time.

Under the agreement, Priority Waste would provide additional services, including storing and maintaining extra carts, along with wheels, lids, and handles for repairing the carts. Priority Waste would collect and repair damaged carts and return them to residents. If managed correctly, these recycling carts will last 10 years. Priority Waste would also make modifications to their trucks in order to collect waste using the carts.

The Recycling Partnership was able to procure a donation of resin from Dow Chemical specifically for the City of Flint, valued at $900,000, for the manufacture of the carts. This cost savings allows residents to receive both recycling and trash carts—an unprecedented investment from this type of grant program. This has the potential to make Flint’s recycling program doubly effective. Other cities have found that by providing trash and recycling carts at the same time, residents are more likely to use the carts correctly and not mix garbage and recycling together.

The City of Flint’s current recycling program requires residents to provide their own recycling bins at the curb, and most of these bins do not have lids. The new high-quality resin carts will help contain fly-away material that can contribute to blight and harm the environment. The carts’ strong-latching lids will also keep out rain and snow, and even prevent squirrels, raccoons, and other animals from breaking into trash.

The City of Flint has also proposed an allocation of $2 million in ARPA funds for the payment of uncollected trash fees due to tax foreclosure. This would prevent these trash collection costs from being passed on to residents in the form of increased trash assessments through 2026.

“This is an awesome deal for residents to receive better trash and recycling services, and it will have long-term benefits for our city’s resilience in the face of climate change,” Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said. “The city council’s delays have had a negative impact on city services and ultimately quality of life for Flint residents, and I don’t want to see our community miss out on this transformative opportunity. I urge the council to move this project forward for the benefit of our community.”

What’s next?
If the Flint City Council approves the contract extension with Priority Waste, the next step is to issue an RFP for cart manufacturing. The City of Flint will seek a manufacturer who can also distribute the carts to Flint households. The trash and recycling carts could take 6-8 months to manufacture.

Frequently Asked Questions
The City of Flint has received several questions from residents about the proposed program. Here are some answers to concerns about how the program would work, if it is approved by the Flint City Council.

Question: What if all of my garbage or recycling doesn’t fit in the carts? Can I put other bags or items at the curbside.

Answer: YES! Residents will still be able to put additional trash bags, carts, or other bulk items at the curb for collection. This is a unique service offered by Priority Waste. Most cart programs in other cities do not allow additional trash bags or carts at the curb apart from the provided carts.

Question: I don’t want to use the carts. Will they be dropped off at my house if I refuse to use them?

Answer: No, participation in the cart program is not mandatory. Before carts are distributed to households, residents will receive a notification in the mail with a phone number that they would need to call to opt-out. If a resident decides later that they do want the carts, they can always call and opt-in again.

Question: It seems like trash and recycling carts are always so fragile. Won’t they crack and get damaged during the first winter?

Answer: The carts the City of Flint is planning to distribute would be made with an industrial grade resin that takes a very long time to wear out. If they are cared for properly, the carts should last about 10 years. However, if a cart is damaged, Priority Waste will pick it up, repair it, and return it to the residents, and they will keep replacement carts on hand.