Lansdale Taxpayers: Take the Single Trash Hauler Survey

A week ago today, 87 surveys on the feasibility of a single trash and recycling hauler for Lansdale were completed online through the Lansdale Borough website.

There is still time to give feedback.

Surveys must be taken by Lansdale Borough residents only.

Lansdale Borough is reviewing the need and feasibility of using one trash company to collect trash and recyclables for the entire borough.

Surveys can be taken online at: www.surveymonkey.com/s/QLDWDXV.

Surveys can also be taken at The Reporter, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale, in its Community Media Lab.

"If you are at the library, you can do it there," said Councilman Dan Dunigan at last week's Lansdale Council session. "We encourage everyone to do the survey."

The 14-question survey asks questions like:

What type of home do you live in?

Who is your current trash removal and recycling hauler?

How much do you currently pay for removal per month?

What amount of trash does our household generate each week?

What is the most important factor in selecting a trash hauler?

Are you satisfied with your trash options?

The reasons for looking at a single trash hauler are laid out in the survey:

• Multiple haulers result in excessive wear and tear on borough streets and alleys. Alleys are the responsibility of residential property owners, not the borough.
• Large trash trucks impact the quality of life for residents due to noise and off-hours of service, like in early morning hours.
• There are safety concerns with multiple haulers, especially with the population density of Lansdale. For instance, the number of children that walk to school, and competition with school buses for space on roadways.
• There are environmental concerns, specifically air pollution from exhaust.
• There is an economic benefit: Lower average costs and improved service.

Lansdale informs residents in the survey that contracts for a single hauler would be publicly advertised and competitively bid. Lansdale expects a single hauler contract to be on annual renewal.

Should the borough go with a single hauler, the hauler would be required to post payment bonds, which gives third-party assurance that the hauler will meet requirements of the contract.

"The borough is aware of the potential negative imapcts of a poorly-constructed and poorly-managed Unified Trash Hauler contract, as well as resdient concerns regarding the potential for loss of competition and choice resutling in higher, not lower, trash/recycling service cost," the survey states.

A Waste Collection System Evaluation was prepared in 2006 by Gannett Fleming. You can read that report here.

Surveys can be taken online at: www.surveymonkey.com/s/QLDWDXV.