Update: This story contains some outdated information. For information about the City’s recycling program, see https://www.cityofbartlesville.org/city-services/refuse-recycling/
Update: As of Dec. 2, Recyclops reported the company has received 433 registrations.
Recyclops, a Utah-based company that offers recycling services in rural areas across the U.S., could implement a curbside collection program in Bartlesville — if enough people sign up for the service, said City Councilor Paul Stuart.
The company, which currently provides service to 14 cities and counties in Utah, Arizona and Texas, requires a minimum customer base of 500. Stuart says Recyclops hopes to begin servicing the Bartlesville and Dewey area, possibly as soon as January 2020.
“It’s always great when a company can come in and provide a service that people in our community want,” Stuart said. “Curbside recycling will help families that can’t make it to the recycling center, including those that live outside city limits or in apartments. I’m excited to see how many people and small businesses sign up for this service. Based on how things are going, the company has indicated they could start the service in January.”
The company’s charges are based on the number of customers signed up for the service, starting with $10 per month for 500 customers. (The monthly fee is $15 if glass is also collected.) Once the subscriber base reaches 844 customers, the monthly fee drops to $8 per month, $7 per month for 1,687 customers, and $6 per month for 2,531 customers. With a customer base of 16,870 or more, the fee falls to just $3.27 per month.
“I expect the fee for our area to land between $6 and $8,” Stuart said. “The company will communicate with customers throughout the process, though.”
For the $10 monthly fee — or $15 for the addition of glass — Recyclops will collect recyclables twice a month. Items collected include:
- Pape
- Cardboard
- Plastics
- Aluminum cans
- Steel cans/aerosol cans
“My understanding is that once service starts, customers are billed a one time $10 set-up fee and $10 for a year supply of the company’s bags, which are delivered to each customer’s house, and then whatever the monthly rate ends up being,” Stuart said. “So the maximum cost is $30 the first month then $10 in subsequent months.”
Despite the requirement to provide billing information at sign-up, customers will not be billed until the service starts, he said.
The opportunity comes after the City of Bartlesville conducted the Solid Waste Survey asking residents which solid waste services they most wanted, including recycling, and how much they were willing to pay for those services. Consultants who conducted the survey told the City Council in September that adding curbside recycling collection would not be recommended at this time due to the results of the survey and depressed recycling markets. Consultants recommended the City continue with its recycling program, which includes a drop-off service at 10th Street and Virginia Avenue, and to be more proactive in educating the public about the center.
While Recyclops is not associated with the City of Bartlesville, Stuart says he believes the service could be a good option for residents who want collection services.
“This is independent of the City and City-issued utility bills,” he said. “It is a completely voluntary subscription with a private company.”
Stuart said the company is currently working through the permitting process. As of Monday, nearly 400 area residents had signed up for the service.
“They were up to 371 subscribers as of Monday, so they’re about 75 percent of the way there,” Stuart said.
For more information about Recyclops, see www.recyclops.com. To sign up for the service, visit https://recyclops.com/new-customer-pre-signup.