The City of Denton will update certain curbside collection services, starting Oct. 1, to better fit customer needs, improve service equity, and increase service efficiency and routing. Monthly solid waste and recycling rates will remain the same as the 2018 rate, which decreased by 12.5 percent from 2017.
Services that will see updates include brush, bulky item, and yard waste collection. Brush and bulky item collection will still be included as services in customers’ monthly rate, allowing residents to place 4 cubic yards of brush and two bulky items curbside for weekly collection. This is an increase from the four bulky items per year that were previously permitted. For any brush more than 4 cubic yards (approximately the same size as four washing machines), collection will cost $75 per hour in quarter-hour increments ($18.75/15 min.), and any bulky items over the weekly amount will incur a $5 fee per item. For brush and bulky item services, customers are asked to call Customer Service at (940) 349-8700 at least one day prior to collection to schedule pickup.
Not included in the monthly rate, yard waste collection will now be a subscription-based, opt-in service. Customers are asked to call Customer Service at (940) 349-8700 to opt-in to the service and select a subscription. Customers will have two subscription options — placing their yard waste in paper kraft bags and paying a $1 monthly fee, or they can purchase a yard waste cart from the City for a one-time fee of $20 and pay a $0.50 monthly fee to have the yard waste cart service. Residents may purchase kraft bags at any local hardware store or retailer. Yard waste contained in plastic bags will not be collected.
“We’re excited to roll out these new changes,” said Brian Boerner, Director of Solid Waste and Recycling. “These updates will allow us to customize service for residents. For example, customers can place brush and bulky items curbside and have them collected on a date other than their weekly trash collection day. Plus, by making yard waste an opt-in service that’s collected weekly, we’re cutting the amount of time our service vehicles will be on the streets looking for waste, increasing collection efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint.”
These service changes were presented to the City Council on Aug. 20, 2019. To communicate these service changes, the City mailed a 2019 Solid Waste and Recycling Guide to all residential customers, which is scheduled to be delivered the week of Sept. 23. Customers may also find information on the updated Solid Waste & Recycling webpages at www.dentonrecycles.com. Included in these webpage updates is a 2019 Service Change FAQ and a new Waste Wizard app, which customers can use to search items and receive disposal directions.
Social media outreach through the City’s Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor channels will also notify residents of these service changes, including a “DTV Newsbreak” segment in which residents will get a look at the new yard waste cart and see an example of a kraft bag. Residents will also receive an update on these changes through the Resident Update newsletter, and the 2019-20 utility rates brochure included with the October utility bill. For additional information on these service changes, see the attached service guide or visit www.dentonrecycles.com.
