[Press Release] : Solid Waste Division announces new trash and recycling bag voucher program for city residents

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2008


CONTACT: Public Works Department
 (573) 874-7250

Solid Waste Division announces new trash and recycling bag voucher
program for city residents

(COLUMBIA, MO) - The city of Columbia Public Works Department announces
the city will implement a new bag voucher system in December. The new
system will be administered by Phoenix Recycling Inc., who will produce,
store and distribute bags for the city. The Solid Waste Division will no
longer deliver bags directly to residents’ yards or driveways.
Beginning the week of Dec. 10, residents in single-family households
and structures of four units or less, will begin receiving vouchers in
the mail for black trash bags and blue recycling bags. The vouchers will
be redeemable at local retail businesses. Businesses accepting the
vouchers are listed on the city’s Web site at www.GoColumbiaMo.com
(search: GoBagVoucher), and will also be listed on a flyer residents
will receive with their voucher. There is no additional cost for the
bags, but residents must have a voucher to obtain them. The bags will 
remain the same as the current trash and recycling bags used by the
city and will be packaged in rolls of 25 black bags and 18 blue bags.
Vouchers are redeemable one time only, as they are tracked by barcode
and, therefore, cannot be duplicated. Residents will receive new
vouchers each April, August and December, around the 10th of the month.
New residents moving to Columbia will be sent a voucher within three
weeks of signing up for city utilities.
In an effort to reduce waste, the city is asking residents who do not
need bags to not redeem the voucher. This new turnkey delivery system
will save the city an estimated $262,000 annually, much of which will
come from fewer bags being used. Residents should contact Phoenix
Recycling at 1-800-866-3954 for questions about vouchers of if they
expected to receive a voucher but did not. 

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