Streamline Recycling: Bigger Bins Creating Storage Problems for Tenants
By: Kim Behrens
Updated: September 24, 2012
BLOOMINGTON--Lamont Kincy lives in an apartment near downtown.
He says the cozy quarters are just the right size for his family's needs...and those don't include recycling.
"If you don't have enough space for the storage, where are you going to put it?
Kincy is referring to the city's new 65 and 95 gallon recycling bins.
In November, it will remove the current containers to begin single stream collection.
But some say, there's no room to store these jumbo sized carts.
"We have our regular trash plus all of our neighbors put trash in the same area, so it's just going to take up a bunch of space and it's really more of a hassle than anything," said tenant Josh Doyle.
With little room inside, some neighbors are opting to store waste and recycling outdoors.
"It makes the place look junky if they don't' come and pick it up at a certain time," added Kincy.
While some worry about the spacing issue, the city says the new bins aren't that much bigger than the current 14 gallon containers. Turns out two of them are roughly the width of one 95 gallon toter.
Cheryl Misukonis is a local landlord who's making the carts a top priority.
She's asking all her tenants to get one.
"I think it's good for the community. I think it helps keep our landfill open and available to everyone in the community so I think it's a really good idea."
While public works admits, the bins are a big change it hopes the extra height will encourage more people to fill them up.
It gets money for the items it recycles.
With less waste going to the landfill, it hopes to make the area a bit greener.
In more ways than one.
65 and 95 gallon toters are the only options for Bloomington residents.
If people opt out of the program, leaders say they can take personal items to local recycling centers.
He says the cozy quarters are just the right size for his family's needs...and those don't include recycling.
"If you don't have enough space for the storage, where are you going to put it?
Kincy is referring to the city's new 65 and 95 gallon recycling bins.
In November, it will remove the current containers to begin single stream collection.
But some say, there's no room to store these jumbo sized carts.
"We have our regular trash plus all of our neighbors put trash in the same area, so it's just going to take up a bunch of space and it's really more of a hassle than anything," said tenant Josh Doyle.
With little room inside, some neighbors are opting to store waste and recycling outdoors.
"It makes the place look junky if they don't' come and pick it up at a certain time," added Kincy.
While some worry about the spacing issue, the city says the new bins aren't that much bigger than the current 14 gallon containers. Turns out two of them are roughly the width of one 95 gallon toter.
Cheryl Misukonis is a local landlord who's making the carts a top priority.
She's asking all her tenants to get one.
"I think it's good for the community. I think it helps keep our landfill open and available to everyone in the community so I think it's a really good idea."
While public works admits, the bins are a big change it hopes the extra height will encourage more people to fill them up.
It gets money for the items it recycles.
With less waste going to the landfill, it hopes to make the area a bit greener.
In more ways than one.
65 and 95 gallon toters are the only options for Bloomington residents.
If people opt out of the program, leaders say they can take personal items to local recycling centers.
