Groveland Twp.-Local waste haulers who service the nearly 6,000 households in the Brandon and Ortonville township areas may be subject to new guidelines if Groveland Township officials have their way.
A new solid waste and recyclable materials collection license is being considered by Groveland Township officials.
Groveland Township Supervisor Robert DePalma said the guidelines, similar to a current Orion Township regulation will provide rules for solid waste collection within the township including hours, fees and provisions for violations. Also, the license, which may carry a $100 fee and require approval of the township board, may also require commercial haulers file a complete schedule of the days customers will have their waste collected.
‘The day will come when the amount of solid waste from each community will be regulated,? said DePalma, adding the purposed ordinance stems from a June 10 township meeting where discussion of a preferred vendor for the waste hauling was considered.
‘From collection information just how much waste comes from each area will be recorded.?
Township Trustee David Ax, emphasized that while a preferred vendor was considered at the meeting, ‘no one is trying to force residents to choose a specific waste hauler,? said Ax.
‘The guidelines are just one part of a screening process for waste haulers. But the less administration we do the better it will be.?
Matt McKay, president of Waste Away solid waste haulers located in Ortonville, agrees that licensing of waste haulers is in best interest of the community.
‘A license will help keep track of who’s a legitimate hauler and who’s not,? said McKay, who is licensed in the city of Rochester, in addition to Oakland and Orion townships.
‘It also helps the township know where the solid waste is going thus controlling trash flow.?
However, McKay which serves about 1,000 customers in Groveland Township and 1,500 customers in Brandon Township says finding a preferred vendor for the entire municipality is a bad idea.
‘If you make a preferred hauler, it will allow anyone to come in, it will do nothing to reduce the number of trucks on the road. Anyone can still come in.?
‘The only way to reduce the number of trucks is to bid out the business and have a single hauler. So let’s not fix what’s not broken. If someone wants a better price, they can just pick up the phone. Besides we’re not the only company running the roads’what about the UPS??
Currently, Waste Away dispatches two trucks on Tuesdays for Groveland Township Customers and two trucks on Monday for Brandon Township customers.
Waste Away is one of several solid waste haulers locally that transport refuse to the Oakland County landfills.
The biggest challenge for communities is the efficiency of collection, says Martin Seaman, Oakland County Solid Waste Manager who lists several factors in the collection process including safety issues and environmental downfalls as key shortcomings of solid waste pickup.
‘Eighty-percent of the costs of solid waste are in collection so anything communities can do to make that more efficient will have the biggest impact.?
Oakland County landfills are in good shape, added Seaman , ‘We’re all set for the next four to seven years in our area.?
Seaman, who manages the Oakland County landfills attributes the high capacity to several factors including a ban on yard waste collection and recycling programs.
‘We can estimate that 35 percent less trash goes into the landfills since yard waste has been eliminated and recycling materials are collected.?