By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Is the City of Decatur’s heavy trash collection becoming an excessive burden?
“It’s a discussion I want to have,” Councilman Matt Dyer said at the latest city council meeting, referring to the future of the biannual event.
He acknowledged that the collections have been a good way to keep the city “clean,” but is concerned about the growth of the rising number of items taken in.
Part of his concern, Dyer said at an earlier meeting, is worker safety. “I think we really need to revisit it. Some people are really abusing it,” he commented.
There is no question that some non-Decatur residents are bringing in heavy items to be picked up during the collection. How much abuse is going on is unknown.
The latest heavy trash collection, last September, set an all-time record for tonnage taken in: 151.42 tons. Last April’s amounted to 105.28 tons.
The previous record was 139.15 tons of heavy items collected in April of 2023, according to statistics provided by the pubic works department. In September of that year, 100.38 tons were picked up.
That was a huge jump from 2022, when 92.50 tons were taken – in two collections combined!
Following are figures for the past five years, including what it cost the city to unload it all at the county transfer station:
2020
June, 71.95 tons; $3,268.02.
Sept., 100.8 tons; $4,519.13.
2021
April, 37.87, $1,725.51
Sept., 38.53; $1,938.07.
2022
April, 47.58; $2,306.13.
Sept., 44.92; $2,373.05
2023
April: 139.15; $6,722.63.
Sept., 100.38; $5,261.51.
2024
April, 105.28; $5,756.17.
Sept., 151.42; $6,326.16.
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