Are Elmhurst's Trash Container Fees 'Equitable'?

Elmhurst IL

16 March, 2021

9:06 AM

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ELMHURST, IL — An Elmhurst alderwoman on Monday made the case why it makes sense to charge about the same rates for different size garbage containers, while an alderman from the same ward argued the rates fail to promote sustainability. Under the new rates, the city will charge $18.53 and $19.32 a month for 35- and 65-gallon containers, respectively. The larger rollout bin costs about $10 more annually than the smaller one. "With waste and refuse, we take a look at what it costs, and we do a pass-through cost," Ward 3 Alderwoman Dannee Polomsky said at a City Council meeting. Regardless of the size of the container, she said, the difference in costs to administer the service is little. She said education is the key to encouraging residents to generate less trash. "I would just want our residents to know that we recognize and appreciate efforts to reduce waste," she said. Her fellow Ward 3 alderman, Michael Bram, agreed education is a piece of the campaign to reduce garbage. "But it's not the only piece. Equitable costs across all toters is the other piece," he said. Bram said he had spoken with many residents, including seniors, who say they would go with the smaller container if the price were significantly lower than the larger one. "We're still charging pretty close to the same rate. That doesn't talk to sustainability at all," he said. Bram said the city is allocating as a pass-through cost for the garbage service one full-time employee to answer questions and handle issues with garbage and recycling. But he said "there is no way" the city is using one person for 40 hours a week on such issues. He said the city's fees were unfair to seniors in particular. "They would be willing to use the (smaller) toter if we have an equitable price," Bram said. In an email to Patch on Tuesday, Polomsky said she spoke up at the council meeting to point out that the city provides tools to encourage less waste such as unlimited, free recycling and the composting program. "What I didn't mention last night is that these efforts speak to the strategies in our Sustainability Action Plan," which she co-authored, she said. The council voted 13-0 for the new container fees, with Bram in dissent. That was the same as a preliminary vote two weeks ago.