by JEN BIUNDO
The city of Buda wants to green up its solid waste collection with a better recycling system, but city leaders are worried the environmental benefits may come at a price to local taxpayers.
The city is considering moving to a “single stream” recycling program, which would allow residents to put all their recyclables into one 96-gallon lidded can that would be collected every other week.
Currently, Buda residents can recycle paper but not cardboard in open 16-gallon bins, and must put the paper into a separate bin from the rest of their recycling. Cardboard isn’t allowed, and many residents simply don’t recycle paper. In single stream recycling, they can toss all recyclables, including paper and cardboard, into the larger wheeled bin.
Katherine Ladner, an athletic trainer who moved to the Whispering Hollow neighborhood four years ago, is advocating for the new recycling program. She started an online survey several weeks ago and said most local residents she’s talked to also want to see the single stream system.
Ladner said many Buda residents don’t recycle paper because it gets wet or blows away outside in the open bins.
“Basically, what they found in Austin and San Marcos is if you have the larger bin with the lid that closes, it really increases the amount that people recycle,” Ladner said.
The new program would come at a cost. TDS originally proposed a 35 percent increase on residential rates, from $12.84 to $17.32, and an 18 percent increase on commercial rates, which would cover the single stream program as well as increases to the basic cost of service.
The city of Buda is working to negotiate a lower rate with TDS, said Buda City Manager Kenneth Williams. A previous contract expired on Sept. 30, though TDS is continuing to provide service as a new contract is developed.
“We’re hopeful we can work out an agreement that’s a win-win for us, TDS and the citizens of Buda,” Williams said.
Buda Mayor Bobby Lane said the council hoped to make the switch to single stream recycling.
“It seems like everybody is very supportive of doing this,” Lane said. “It’s just how do we make it work?”
Based in Creedmoor, the family-owned landfill looks different than many of its competitors, with a wild game preserve surrounding the development and an upscale conference center downwind from the dump. TDS has a large composting facility and a thrift store where usable items are salvaged out of the trash, cleaned up and sold for low prices.
Last week, TDS opened its 100,000-square-foot single stream recycling facility, which handles 250 tons of recycling per day.
TDS owner Bobby Gregory said that after the city of San Marcos switched to single stream recycling 18 months ago, the recycling rate went from less than 10 percent to more than 30 percent.
“It really has dramatically increased the diversion from the landfill because it’s so convenient,” Gregory said. “There are still some folks that are not going to recycle if it’s much work or inconvenience.”
The city of Kyle still offers dual stream recycling, though TDS initiated a single stream, three-cart program last September to 600 homes in the Amberwood and Indian Paintbrush subdivisions. In addition to trash and recycling, TDS also picks up organic matter such as yard trimmings in a third bin.
While some residents say it’s difficult to accommodate three large trash cans in their garage, overall, the response has been positive, said Rick Fraumann, Director of Sales and Customer Care for TDS.
Prior to the three-cart program, 97 percent of the material TDS collected went into the landfill, while three percent was recycled. One year in, 30 percent of the material is now diverted out of the landfill, Fraumann said. With city-wide education, he said that number would likely be even higher.
Fraumann said TDS simply wants to make sure Buda and Kyle know they have the option of switching to single stream recycling.
“For some of our competitors, it’s cheaper and simpler for the short term to throw everything in the landfill, but we’re looking long term,” Fraumann said. “If we can recycle it or compost it, those would be the first two options. If you can make the landfill last longer, that’s good for everybody.”
