In another move to innovate resident services and create a sustainable future for its community, the city of Sterling Heights will be transitioning to a unified cart system and universal curbside recycling for all residents beginning in April 2024. At its Sept. 19 meeting, Sterling Heights City Council awarded a new 10-year contract for waste collection and curbside recycling services to Priority Waste, a leading waste management company known for its commitment to environmental sustainability and outstanding service.
Sterling Heights administration conducted a comprehensive and competitive bidding process to select the best partner for the provision of refuse removal services. After careful evaluation and consideration of various factors including cost-efficiency, environmental sustainability, advanced technology processes and customer service, Priority Waste emerged as the clear choice. Priority was the lowest bid, and the recently approved contract represents a $23 million savings to City taxpayers over the course of the 10-year agreement.
“We are pleased to have Priority Waste as our long-term partner for refuse removal services,” said Mayor Michael C. Taylor. ”Their reputation for excellence and their commitment to eco-friendly waste management align perfectly with our City’s ‘Think Sterling Green’ clearinghouse of sustainability initiatives. A uniform cart system is certainly more pleasing to the eye, but it also prevents open bags attracting rodents, cans and lids from blowing around the streets on windy days and heavy lifting of bags and cans that aren’t on wheels. It’s best practice among communities nationwide, and it’s simply a better system altogether.”
“We were particularly impressed with Priority Waste’s processes which include supervisors connected to drivers in real time via video and GPS that track each truck’s progress and can help supervisors be alerted immediately if there are any issues that need to be addressed,” said Sterling Heights DPW Director Mike Moore. “Priority’s ability to quickly resolve issues helps save a tremendous amount of money on things like missed stops and returns, and these savings are trickling down to our residents. It’s a big win.”
Each resident will be receiving a trash cart and a recycling cart in 2024. A comprehensive information campaign that covers all new refuse removal processes and procedures will be rolled out to all residents beginning in January 2024.
In addition to the new contract with Priority Waste, Sterling Heights was recently awarded a substantial $664,000 Residential Curbside Recycling grant from The Recycling Partnership, further solidifying Sterling Heights’ dedication to promoting responsible waste management and enhancing quality of life for its residents. The Recycling Partnership is a nonprofit organization focused on improving recycling in communities across the United States. This grant will support the City’s universal curbside recycling program, allowing for expanded recycling for every resident, improved infrastructure and increased educational efforts to promote recycling among residents.
Mayor Taylor expressed gratitude for the grant. “We are extremely grateful to The Recycling Partnership for their support of our recycling program. This funding will enable us to enhance our community’s recycling efforts and make a significant positive impact on the environment. Sterling Heights is committed to sustainability, and this is a significant step toward achieving our goals.”
The combined efforts of the new refuse removal contract and the recycling grant reflect Sterling Heights’ unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility, innovative and high quality services for its residents and building a greener, more sustainable future.
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