Merriam may be the first city in Kansas to change its trash collection services under the Organized Collection Service Act. Assistant City Administrator Caitlin Gard told the Merriam City Council last week that it is the first city that is using the process outlined in the Organized Collection Service Act to potentially contract with one waste hauler for residential services. The act outlines standards for service transitions in solid waste and recyclable collections in a city, according to a 2011 summary of the legislation. This includes transitions from multiple solid waste haulers to a single solid waste hauler, which Merriam is currently exploring. Others in Johnson County, like the city of Prairie Village, have had single waste haulers for decades. Gard said the city of Lawrence used the Organized Collection Act to contract with a single recycling hauler, not a waste hauler. Gard said the details about a single waste hauler in Merriam are unclear, but those details will be developed as the city follows the Organized Collection Service Act steps. This is a lengthy process with several off-ramps along the way, Gard said. In October, the city council is slated to consider a resolution to craft a plan for a single waste hauler.
Source: Johnson County Post
