Automated Solid Waste Curbside Collection System Implementation UpdateCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Action Items # 06.
Copyrighted
July 17, 2023
ITEM TITLE: Automated Solid Waste Curbside Collection System Implementation
Update
SUMMARY: Public Works staff will give a presentation on the implementation plan for
the automated solid waste conveyance system and continued progress
reporting.
SUGGESTED Receive and File; PresentationSuggested Disposition:
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Trash Cart/Automated Collection Project Update Staff Memo
Presentation PDF Supporting Documentation
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Automated Solid Waste Curbside Collection System Implementation
Update
DATE: July 10, 2023
Public Works Director John Klostermann will give a presentation on the implementation
plan for the automated solid waste conveyance system and continued progress
reporting.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
CC' Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
John Klostermann, Public Works Director
Arielle Swift, Assistant Public Works Director
Jacob Jansen, Resource Management Supervisor
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: John Klostermann, Public Works Director JK
SUBJECT: Automated Solid Waste Curbside Collection System Implementation
Update
DATE: June 30th, 2023
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information on the implementation plan
for the automated solid waste conveyance system and continued progress reporting.
BACKGROUND
On March 29, 2022, the City Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2023 budget which
included the implementation of an automated solid waste curbside collection system.
This system included automated arms for solid waste vehicles and city-wide use of
tipper carts. Implementation includes ordering inventory, distribution of carts, ordinance
adjustments, public education, public outreach, and future operational adjustments. We
will address each stage of the implementation below.
Implementation Team
The team on this project includes Public Works Director John Klostermann, Public
Information Officer Randy Gehl, Assistant Public Works Director Arielle Swift, Resource
Management Supervisor Jake Jansen, Communications Specialist Kelli Buchenau,
Communications Assistant Trevor Fannon, Multimedia Specialist Felecia Carner, Video
Producer Erich Moeller, GIS Coordinator/Analyst Nikki Rosemeyer, with support from
the entire solid waste staff.
DISCUSSION
Cart Deployment Status
On the following page, four charts provide an overview of carts being delivered by
month, container inventory, cart waitlist counts, and the total carts in service.
Solid Waste Container Deliveries
35 Gal.
48 Gal.
64 Gal.
96 Gal.
96 Gal.
Yellow
Month
Trash
Trash
Trash
Trash
Recycling
Bins and
Total
Lids
FY23
503
333
103
11
14
8
972
AUG.
FY23
296
142
94
41
88
12
673
SEP.
FY23
127
111
61
46
344
85
774
OCT.
FY 23
144
82
42
19
47
44
378
NOV.
FY 23
117
1
68
21
7
63
277
DEC.
FY 23
106
2
7
29
6
66
216
JAN.
FY 23
153
8
11
43
3
30
248
FEB.
FY 23
350
7
24
23
3
21
428
MAR.
FY 23
8,077
6
26
7
0
0
8,116
APR.
FY 23
113
16
28
11
0
0
168
MAY
FY 23
19
9
13
8
0
0
49
JUN.
Total
10,005
709
466
216
509
299
12,204
Solid Waste Container Inventory
35 Gal.
48 Gal.
64 Gal.
96 Gal.
96 Gal.
Recycling
Recycling bins
Trash
Trash
Trash
Trash
1
12
20
8
10
0
Solid Waste Container Waitlist Count
35 Gal. Trash
48 Gal.
64 Gal.
96 Gal. Trash
96 Gal.
Recycling
Recycling bins
Trash
Trash
111
670
313
182
842
240
Total Carts in Service
Customers who
96 Gal.
35 Gal.
48 Gal.
64 Gal. Trash
96 Gal.
still need a
Recycling
Trash
Trash
Trash
Trash Cart
10,703
1,947
3,395
1,348
3073
3,400
Cart Distribution
All basic service customers with regular collection days from Monday to Wednesday
have received their carts. However, approximately 600 Thursday customers (all
Wednesday customers west of Pennsylvania) and 1,500 Friday customers have not
received their 35-gallon carts due to a shortage of inventory.
Automated Route
Despite the shortage of 35-gallon carts, all customers serviced by our automated trash
truck have received their carts. This has resulted in a fully automated route for all five
days of the week, except for customers waiting for a larger cart. Once those customers
receive the larger carts, the automated driver anticipates needing to exit the cab only
around 20-30 times a day to collect extra bags outside the cart. Achieving a 97% in -cab
rate will be a significant achievement for this project's top goal of safety.
FY 24 Cart Order
Currently, approximately 3,000 customers still require carts, including 1,000 customers
on the larger cart waitlist. Toter, our cart distributor, has provided a quote for 6,200 carts
of various sizes, including 1,500 recycling carts. The lead time for cart delivery is
estimated at 3-4 weeks, and the average cost per cart has declined by $5.85 compared
to last year's quote. We expect to have approximately 1,000 carts remaining (primarily
larger carts) for cart swap -outs and replacements. Our legal department is finalizing the
FY24 contract with Toter, and once signed, Toter will send the carts. Delivery of carts is
expected to commence by early August.
Public Urgency and Timelines
There is a growing sense of urgency in the community for residents to receive their
trash carts, as evidenced by the frequency of calls to Public Works. Once the shipment
arrives, the solid waste crew will work after their normal route to distribute carts to the
community. If all goes well, the goal is to have every solid waste customer using their
cart by October 1st.
Automated Side Loader Trucks
The current fleet consists of six trucks for refuse collection, including one automatic side
loader, two rear loaders, and three semi -automatic side loaders. Two fully automated
trucks with drop frames are on order and expected to arrive after January 1 st, 2024.
During June, Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Tom Kuhl and Resource Management
Supervisor Jake Jansen coordinated ASL demonstrations. The solid waste crew
unanimously preferred straight -framed trucks with a "candy -cane" style arm and the sit-
down option over stand-up drive. As a result, Tom Kuhl has reached out to the dealer to
change the current truck order to the sit-down style, ensuring safer and more
comfortable options for city sanitation drivers.
Three fully automated trucks are expected to be operational in CY24, leaving three
trash trucks without automated technology. If financially viable, Public Works
recommends purchasing three automated trucks in FY24 to strengthen the integrity of
the solid waste fleet and ensure the safety of the crew. Assistant Public Works Director
Arielle Swift will work with Jenny Larson, CFO on funding options and develop a
proposal for your review.
Service Assistance Form
Public Works developed a cart exemption program for individuals physically unable to
handle a minimum 35-gallon trash cart or facing terrain challenges. Since the program's
council approval in mid -June, 46 forms have been returned, with 38 pursuing medical
exemptions and eight terrain exemptions. Jake Jansen and Tony Severson, lead
sanitation driver, have visited the applicants' homes to assess their situations. Most
applicants faced physical barriers rather than terrain challenges and were encouraged
to seek approval from their doctors.
Recycling Carts
With over 800 people on our recycling cart waitlist, there has been a significant
increase in popularity for the 96-gallon recycling option. To meet this community need,
the current Toter quote requests an order for 1,500 carts, back filling the waitlist and
having carts available for requests in FY24. Additionally, based on the volume of
requests received in FY23, we have applied for a DMASWA Minimization grant to
secure funding for an additional 500 carts.
We anticipate finding out the results of our federal SWIFR grant request in late summer.
Our solid waste consultants from HDR have mentioned that some communities did not
make it to the next round of eligibility. However, Resource Management Supervisor
Jake Jansen spoke to an EPA Representative in New York at the Rubicon conference,
and they expressed confidence about our application.
FY22 DMASWA Waste Minimization Grant
Since the arrival of our recycling stickers in October 2022, funded by the DMASWA
grant, the solid waste crew have applied 5,100 decals on yellow bins and 2,730 decals
on recycling carts. To complete the project, they need to administer 1,400 yellow bin
decals and 770 blue cart decals. Due to the decals' adhesive issues in colder weather,
the crew was only able to apply them during the months of October, November, March,
April, May, and June. If the crew can continue at this pace, the project should be
completed by mid -August.
ACTION STEP
This memorandum is being provided as an update on the implementation plan for an
automated solid waste conveyance system and the distribution of solid waste carts to
support that system.
CC: Arielle Swift, Assistant Public Works Director
Jacob Jansen, Resource Management Supervisor
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
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FY2024 CART ORDER
2-3 WEEK LEAD TIME
DISCOUNT ON PHASE II CARTS
REMAINING INVENTORY
Waitlist
On Order
0
CART DISTRIBUTION IN
FISCAL YEAR 2024
■ 35G (T)
5,000
48G (T) 64G (T)
10,000
96G (T)
151000
20,000
AUTOMATED ROUTE
EXEMPTION UPDATE
MEDICAL
38 EXEMPTIONS
TERRAIN
8 EXEMPTIONS
TOMAT'ED TRUCK
ORDER(S)
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