Olympic Times

City of Port Angeles issued the following announcement on Feb. 22

In the Spring of 2021, the City of Port Angeles took action to terminate its contract with Waste Connections Incorporated (WCI) for services provided relative to municipal solid waste. This decision was made with the understanding that the only way the City could provide excellent service and mitigate large rate instability due to increases demanded by WCI, was to terminate that contract and perform these services in house. Following that decision, a lengthy negotiation and arbitration process delayed the contractual termination process.  

Following resolution of those issues, the City is pleased to announce that it will begin operations of the Regional Transfer Station as of March 1st 2022. In addition, the City will also begin performing residential yard waste and recycle services. After many years of these services being performed by a subcontractor, the City is excited to begin performing these services in-house. We anticipate this change will provide exceptional public service as well as rate stability over the coming years that would not have been possible by continuing the WCI contract.

Over the coming weeks City residents will receive new recycle and yard waste containers provided by the City, notice different trucks picking up your recycle and yard waste, as well as some new friendly faces, and the City could not be more excited to get started. Additionally, the City will be releasing further details regarding service container delivery and operations in the coming weeks. At anytime, you can reach us at 360.417.4800 or publicworks@cityofpa.us. We appreciate your patience as these services transition and look forward to providing these services to you starting March 1st.

02/22/2022 UPDATE:  

Due to the large-scale transfer of operations from WCI to the City of Port Angeles, some temporary service disruptions and changes are expected:

Beginning March 1st, 2022, the Blue Mountain Transfer Station will be temporarily closed for a period of approximately 6 weeks. Supply chain issues have delayed delivery of necessary equipment to operate this facility, requiring the closure. During this time, the City will be working with Clallam County to execute other associated improvements.

Commercial cardboard bins are also slightly delayed. As noted in previous City communications, we will be working directly with those affected, but do not anticipate this to be an overly large service disruption.

During an investigation of the glass recycling market, the City discovered there are no recycling facilities in Washington state accepting glass at this time. The City will continue to monitor potential recycling market changes over the coming months in hopes that an option to utilize a reuse stream becomes available. Until then, glass is to be disposed of through regular solid waste means.

While these temporary service disruptions are issues the City will work to mitigate, there are elements to highlight as a part of the new services:

Services being provided by the City allow for the County, the City of Sequim, and the City of Port Angeles to work together in a manner that protects all rate payers from rate instability due to a third-party for-profit contractor providing service components.

The City is now using Republic Services for transportation and disposal, realizing several environmental benefits.

A recording of the City of Port Angeles Municipal Solid Waste Services update from the February 15, 2022, City Council meeting is available on the City's website: www.cityofpa.us.

We appreciate your patience during this transition and look forward to providing these services to you.

Original source can be found here.