Hurley's garbage collection to switch from bags to bins

By P.J. GLISSON

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Hurley — Residents of Hurley soon will face a change in how garbage is collected and charged.

As of November, all city residents will transition to a system in which garbage will be picked up from designated containers rather than from orange bags, as is now the case.

The containers, which have been referred to as bins or carts, also will result in a new manner of billing.

As a result of a Sept. 12 vote by the Hurley City Council, the new system will require an added fee of $18 on each household’s quarterly water bills.

“This will assist in covering the loss of the bag revenue,” said City Clerk/Treasurer Stacey Wiercinski in a Tuesday email.

The cost of five orange bags rose from $7 to $10 in January of this year.

The city contracts out its waste needs because it does not have its own solid waste department.

Wiercinski said the city renewed its contract last year with Waste Management. At that time, the city was informed that the transition would be necessary. However, the city was granted permission to continue using the orange bags this year.

“Cart roll out by Waste Management will begin in November,” said the clerk. “The orange bags will be discontinued for pick up after the Nov. 30 pick-up date.”

Waste Management officials, in general, regard the tall, two-wheeled bins as a more effective means of securing the odor and spillage of garbage and of protecting it from wild or stray animals.