Now that people are more into recycling this means you will have 65 gallon containers with one small bag of garbage that will blow around the streets. Isn't there an even small garbage can that can be hoisted by the trucks ??

I'm a senior and have no use whatsoever for a 65-gallon garbage can. In fact, I do so much recycling that most weeks I've only filled an 8-gallon garbage bag which I then put into a larger black bag and leave at the curb for pickup. If it now becomes necessary for me to drag a huge, heavy, ugly container down my driveway I'm going to fill it with absolutely every item that gets thrown out and someone else can save the planet. And by the way, who is to pay for these goliaths?

tax payers pay; politicians pocket

Did it ever occur to Bob Dunn that there was a 98% approval rating because people weren't paying for receptacles that are 2-3 times the size they need. Why did article not mention that these new garbage cans that are double and triple the size are going to cost more. Did it occur to anybody people won't want to pay more for containers that are larger but not necessary for their needs. Another garbage decision by our elmhurst government.

This is TERRIBLE! Why in the world do we need BIGGER garbage cans?? What we need is bigger RECYCLE totes; the wheeled ones like all our neighboring towns have. We need to encourage people to recylce, not to create more waste. I can't believe this is how the city voted. And the article that said someone didn't want to change because citizens didn't want the day their garbage was picked up to change? Seriously? Clearly, you are NOT listening to your constituents. We have bigger fish to fry than what day our garbage gets picked up. This demands a re-vote and reconsideration.

The 65 gallon sounds interesting, what will the prices be and when can I trade my 96 gallon for a 65 gallon?

We hardly ever fill up our 33 gallon garbage can each week. I don't like the idea of having to purchase a larger 65 gallon container and then having to pay more to have its contents disposed of each week. We not only recycle quite a bit, but compost as well to eliminate unnecessary waste in landfills.

One thing the article didn't mention is that we all now will get a 65 gallon recycling toter too, with lid and wheels. I use a 95 gallon now because 32 gallon is too small. I can trade down to a 65 gallon, pay less and recycle more with the larger recycling toter. This is a great deal for me, and I suspect many in Elmhurst.

Those who use a 65-gallon toter will not have to pay more. This story has been updated with comments from Elmhurst Public Works Director Mike Hughes. Sorry for the confusion!

Very interesting article. People will now have the reason to do recycling. Recycling is quite a hard thing to do, but if the family gets used to it, it will be an easy thing. Plus, the family can save from this trash cans.

TrashcansUnlimited.com

How to get a 65 gal toter??????????

This is nuts!!! Always telling tax payers what to do!!!! Since our tax money pays for their jobs!

Previously, the use of a small container encouraged recycling, so as to save fees on a second small container. With a larger container, even the recycling materials will fit. So now we have a proposal which will discourage many from recycling. And it sure looks like this will increase the cost to us. At least we still have the right to vote.

Another absurd position form City Management and our elected Aldermen. For the past 15 months I have lived in Germany. I came here thinking I knew how to minimize the waste I sent to the landfill - my Elmhurst 33 gal was rarely half full even when our family count was four. In Germany they actually incinerate - also a much greener proposition. I was amazed to see how combining recycling with compost pick up reduced the garbage haul even more so ( not to mention the reduced load through composting on waste water treatment infrastructure ). And now I read, with no choice on my part, I am being "upgraded" to a 65 gal monster. Way to encourage waste to landfill waste minimization Elmhurst! Do we live in a progressive community or not? Oh - I forgot. We do live in a progressive Community - when it comes to taxation that is.
Tony Flood

And how do I go about getting someone to bring my new - much more expensive - 65 gal can out to the curb? My 33 gal can was rarely half full and I had trouble getting it out to the street. Once again, you are only thinking about the big families who live in Elmhurst not small households. We pay pay pay pay - for benefits we don't use, don't need, and that, in fact, are detrimental to us. I will soon be paying for at least 4 times as much "rubbish removal" as I can possibly use, and way more than my bad knees or back can handle. Plus, I'll have to figure out how to get that bigger garbage can to my house - I doubt it will fit in my car. Maybe you can arrange for that Park District tax rate increase of over 3% to cover setting up a kids group who moves garbage cans to the street and back for those of us who don't have the strength to move our own. Or maybe you can set-up every other week pick up for those who just don't have much garbage, at half the cost. In 16 years, I have needed more than 1 33 gal garbage can exactly ONCE!

The positive thing that came out of this is that there will be a new 65 gallon toter with a cover for recycling.

I would encourage all to go to the next city council meeting in January to voice your concerns.

If there is to be a 65-gallon recycling toter it would have been nice if it had been mentioned in the news article. A larger, easier to handle recycling container may induce people to downsize from a 95-gallon garbage receptacle and do more recycling. Apparently that would be cheaper for them as well. However, why force those of us with minimal refuse to get something larger? Is the issue here that the workers don't want to have to manually empty the 33-gallon cans? I would think that the pickup would be quicker that way than having to wait for the larger cans to be hoisted. I plan to attend the next meeting, and hope for more information at that time.

Every home in Elmhurst will get a 65 gallon recycling can, with wheels and a lid. That's much larger than most of us have now. All free of charge. Recycle as much as you want/can.
Garbage companies are moving to automated lifting garbage trucks that lift the toters so the garbage men don't have to. Cuts down on injuries and workmens comp. Which cuts down cost. Most likely, the city did not have a choice to move to toters. 32 gallon toters are tall and narrow (in order to fit the truck lifter) and tend to knock down or blow down easily and spill trash everywhere. The 65 and 95 make more sense from a collection standpoint. People who have 95 gallon now will downsize to the smaller 65. Save money, less trash.
Recycling is a personal choice. People will or won't because the want to, not because of what kind of bin they have. This program appears to make it easier to recycle...and cost less than we are paying now and let's face it, if the city would have choosen a program that this group thinks was "greener" but cost more, then a whole different group of people complains about it.

There is also a 48 gallon toter option, providing more stability over the 32 gallon toter. Why is this not an option? Our family of 4 rarely fills up our current 33 gallon can, we just simply aren't in need of a 65 gallon toter.

@CS - good question!