This story makes the new recycling contract sound like it saves NK taxpayers money. On the contrary, it is more expensive than the old company by a lot, and the bins are picked up half as often! These bins are hard to handle for the elderly. As a taxpayer, I was interested in changing to bi weekly pick up to SAVE money, not cost more money. The reason given for the change in companies, (with resultant substantial increase in contract cost), was that the old company broke too many bottles while picking up. Really?? not buying it.

I completely agree Dave. Furthermore, the idea to use one larger bin for all pieces, was going to encourage residents to recycle more. As that has been the case in my household, we are filling up the bin much faster and running out of room. If we are not saving money, than bring back the weekly pick ups.

I wish we had an option for smaller containers. Throwing a glass bottle into these bins makes way too much noise. Finding a spot to store these huge containers is also a problem. If this new recycling program is indeed more expensive than the old one I am disappointed. I can't help but wonder if a kickback was involved in the decision. Paul G

Seriously people? You can't figure out how to carefully put a glass bottle in a recycling bin?
We use our old bins and put them in the new bin when they are full. It is definitely more than twice as big as our two old bins.
I would hope that if you have a friend, relative or neighbor that can't manage the new bins that you would help them. Perhaps the senior center could be a resource for those that need help? I'd be more than happy to volunteer to help.

Pending approval? Is that new, Samantha?

Raven, so you don't mind paying more for half the service? Good for you,but most people will disagree with you on that.

What is the difference in cost between the old company contract and the new one?

Could anyone please answer Mark's question? If we are saving money, I will try to ignore the unwieldly eyesores for those of us without an attached garage.

Our bin if full before it's time for pickup...no option for a smaller bin next to the full one so people will recycle less, not more. Let's see some figures on the cost savings please?

Here's your answer JB.....I don't see any cost savings.

NK Kicks Old Recycling Service to the Curb
North Kingstown is switching its curbside recycling service.
By Samantha Turner
Email the author
May 23, 2012

North Kingstown pays about $400,000 annually for its current curbside service from Coastal. In the town’s request for bids, Coastal’s bid for its current services jumped to $499,000 – just $3,000 less than Waste Haulers bid which offered an automated service.

The five-year contract will see the rates climb each year to offset the contractor’s purchase of roughly 10,000 new recycling bins, then dropping down to $431,000 in the sixth year. Similar services from Coastal started at $748,000 in the first year.

Raven, I'm glad that you have room for two, or maybe three sized recycle bins so that you don't have to throw your bottles in from head high like us common folk. Maybe you could volunteer to show me how to organize a third garage stall, if I had one.

Dave, thank you for reposting Samantha's article. I'm confused. Was our old weekly contractor asking $499k or $748k? I never mentioned anything about cost because I didn't have the numbers. Can anyone provide the actual bids and what they covered? If we didn't choose the lowest bid then obviously there's a problem.

Bob, am I wrong in thinking the new bins hokd at lleast twice as much as the old ones?

Nkisok, I think it's our responsibility to recycle as much as possible for the future of NK and our planet. The footprint of the new bin is pretty small and it closes easily so we keep ours outside, not in our extra garage stall. Again I ask, is it really that hard to put a bottle in the container? Really?

I guess that's why they're picking up every other week, because the bins hold 2x as much. However, we have no pickup this week & not again til after New Yrs & ours is full already from Xmas packaging & entertaining. They do take up a lot more space in the garage for sure & when loaded they're loaded they're pretty unwieldy on a long driveway - but the walk w/ 2 heavy boxes was no picnic either. In some areas of FL I noticed these big bins, but all the trucks have 2 workers. Not sure how much the town saved & who benefitted from this contract, but I'd rather have weekly pickup. Don't like refuse w/ food odors sititng around for 2 wks - attracts bugs, racoons, rodents & possums, skunks, etc, if left outside, which many will have to do.

For me, bottom line as a taxpayer is, they are picking up less often, and this is costing more money. I always saw moving to bi-weekly recycling as an easy way to save dollars for the Town, but nope. Silly me.

Raven, old contract with Coastal was 400k for weekly pick up, and Coastal bid again (for weekly small bin pickup) and upped his price to 499k still 3k cheaper than what Waste Haulers bid for weekly small bin pickup . The 748k was apparently Coastal's bid for the first year of the large bin contract, oddly the article didn't say how much we are paying for the actual new contract with Waste Haulers but the article does say "similar services from Coastal" started at 748k, but would go down after the bins were paid off. Sam, do you know what the bid and cost actually is of the new contract with Waste Haulers? Bottom line, we are getting half the number of pickups, for more money....The new automated pick up is supposed to "save money" by not requiring the same number of people....however, now we're using two people. I'll bet my right arm the contract cost never drops down to 431k by the sixth year. Just a funny feeling....

Sam, could we please see these figures, from beginning to end, in an organized and truthful way? Thank you

It appears that some people are getting hysterical here for no reason. Its obvious the price for the old contractor was going UP, but the FIRST year is SLIGHTLY more for the new system, but once the bins are paid off we'll be SAVING quite a lot. Single stream automated pickup saves even more over time because of the labor costs. Also, we're recycling more. Many communities use the automated system and all of RI is now single stream (1 bin for all recyclables). Anyone too old to move the (wheeled) bin should move to Florida "and decrease the surplus NK population, in keeping with the situation".

Mr. or Ms. Sheriff,
Asking Samantha if she can possibly get access to the actual monetary numbers is not an act of hysteria. It is a question.

This isnt a school committee issue so dont get so suspitious. The Town Council / Town Manager chose this path, and said it was less expensive. I believe them truly. The article isnt totally clear on it but it does express a savings coming once the new style bin surcharges is all paid off. thanks Liz Dolan and council for looking out for me! :)

Can hardly wait for Summer when the smell and the ants take over these bins.

Who wants to put these in their garage covered in ants?
Think I will just leave mind down at the street.

I did see that the new recycling service is in effect 2 people on the truck and they lifted the new bins by hand (I thought it was to be automated) also after they left I cleaned up the mess they left on the ground because they missed the truck... OH yes North Kingston is a great place to live. How much is this saving the taxpayers..and where do I submit a bill for cleanup after the pickup...

If there's a critter that is able to open the lid of that bin if I put a rock on it, I have bigger problems than recycling. I have missed a week in the summer for various reasons and have never had bugs. Has anyone asked what we can do if the bins get full? I'd think if it we have too much from Xmas we will have room in future weeks. We really need to calm down about all this. We have to recycle for the future. Lots of places have bi-monthly pickup. Can't we give this a chance before we freak out?