Trash can changes possible

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- The Costa Mesa Sanitary District is considering a

program to standardize trash cans throughout the city, but some residents

think the plan is a mess.

Sanitation district board members say the change will beautify the

city, protect workers and help keep rates stable.

“We did a test run in two different sections of the city two years

ago, and the overall appearance was dramatically different in appearance

on trash day,” said Dan Worthington, a sanitation district board member.

“But our concerns are not only appearance but also safety of trash hauler

drivers. A trash hauler in one year individually picks up over 3,000 tons

of trash. I can’t tell you what kind of back damage that is likely to

bring to a person. Last year, two drivers were injured by chemicals left

in the trash -- pool chemicals -- and they were hospitalized.”

If the standardized trash container program is approved, the district

will issue the city’s residents two of their choice of three trash can

sizes -- 35 gallons, 60 gallons and 90 gallons. Residents will have the

option of getting additional cans, Worthington said.

Residents will not be charged for the containers, he said.

Costa Mesa Disposal will be able to pick up the cans using a

semiautomatic trash truck arm, which will keep its now-skyrocketing

insurance rates down and will in turn keep the city’s rates stable, said

Art Perry, another sanitation district board member.

Some residents say they are concerned they will pay for a program that

mostly benefits Costa Mesa Disposal.

“It appears that the sanitary district is trying to ramrod this

through,” said Ernie Feeney, a Costa Mesa resident who is among several

questioning the change. “I personally feel this is not about

beautification. This is about money. This is going to result in a huge

decrease in the waste hauler’s workmen’s compensation cost, but they’re

not proposing a rate decrease for us, who will be greatly inconvenienced.

The savings should be passed on to us.”

Perry said he wants to get more public input before voting on the

program, because only three or four residents -- aside from the 200 who

participated in the pilot program -- have commented.

“We want to make sure we are doing the right thing for the public,” he

said. “Our thinking is we want to make it public friendly.”

Feeney said she is also opposed to the hauler’s plan to stop picking

up trash outside of the containers.

“There is a large population of elderly in the city, and if they get a

package in the mail, for instance, they are going to have to cut those

boxes to fit into the containers,” she said. “I have an 89-year-old

neighbor who is arthritic, and that would be very difficult for her.

Also, we have a large population of multi-generational families living

together. Instead of being able to use two small cans and some trash bags

that disappear once they are picked up, they will have to store the

larger cans they’ll need to use week after week.”

The cans could also cause a health problem during times when people

have more trash because they will save the trash until the next week,

Feeney said.

Worthington said closed containers will improve the city’s sanitation,

however, because they will keep rodents out of the trash.

He confirmed the haulers will eventually stop picking up trash outside

of the containers but said the hauler will continue to pick up all trash

during a public education period of at least a year.

If households need extra trash cans for temporary periods, the

sanitation district will provide them, he said.

The sanitation district board will discuss the proposed program at a

meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 8 and at a study session at noon Feb. 15. Both

meetings will be at Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.

For more information, call (714) 754-5087.