Adding to its success, Fort Collins decreased waste collection by approximately 8,000 tons from 1995 to 1999, even though the city is experiencing an annual 4 percent growth in population. Households in Fort Collins choose from among six waste collection haulers, who each offer a different type of service. In the past, due to the competitive nature of the market, haulers were not enforcing compliance with PAYT for fear of losing customers. If a customer, for example, left out an extra bag or can without paying for it, haulers were likely to collect it anyway. To combat this problem, the city recently amended the PAYT ordinance to state that the city will litigate any hauler operating out of compliance.
Haulers now have a disincentive to collect extra trash set out by their customers.
For more information on Fort Collins PAYT program, contact Susie Gordon at 970 221-6265. The city started a multi-tiered PAYT program in October 1998 to counteract the rising costs of solid waste management, and the program has been a big success. Keeping the program simple and educating the community prior to its inception were the keys to successful implementation. Before PAYT, the city did not have curbside recycling, and its recycling rate was less than 10 percent. For more information, contact Charles Brunkhardt at 419 273-2500.