Ogden to wait on a curbside green-waste plan

OGDEN — Following a recommendation from the city's public ways manager, the Ogden City Council is going to wait a couple of years before exploring a curbside green-waste program.

Ogden residents have participated in curbside recycling since 2001, but a green-waste program would allow residents to get rid of yard and vegetable waste, grass clippings and tree debris with a can instead of hauling such waste to the city's green-waste site at 1845 Monroe Blvd.

The free site removes about 900 tons of waste a year from the city's waste stream and produces compost, mulch, wood chips, rock chips and firewood, which is sold to the public.

During a recent work session, the City Council asked Jay Lowder, Ogden's public ways and parks manager, to discuss the implementation of a curbside green-waste program.

"I think we all agree that this is a move we need to make as a community," Lowder said.

But he added that 2009 isn't the right time to start the program because of the toll the economy has taken on residents and because of recent and upcoming fee increases for water, sanitary-sewer and storm-sewer services.

Lowder said 2011 might be a good time to consider implementing the program, especially if the economy rebounds. City service fees should be stable by that time, he said.

Though no formal vote was taken during the work meeting, council members in attendance agreed with Lowder and suggested the city could take steps to start educating the public about "green" practices, such as composting.

Eventually, Lowder told the council, a curbside program could divert between 879 and 7,326 tons of waste per year from landfills — and associated tipping fees between $26,370 and $219,780 — between March 1 and Nov. 30, depending on the type of program.

The city would need to purchase at least two trucks, at $250,000 apiece, depending on the program.

A curbside program would also likely eliminate the need for the green-waste site on Monroe Boulevard, Lowder said.

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