THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2008

---

Wheeling Goes Over Waste Contract

With its contract with Waste Management expiring on May 31, 2009, the Wheeling Village Board heard a presentation and discussed options at a meeting on Monday, Aug. 25.

"We gave them an overview of what the contract covers and terms of the contract," explained Christine Bajor of Public Works. Both the residential and the commercial and multi-family contracts with the hauler expire next May. "The staff was meeting with Waste Management to see if we can look into extending or renewing it."

According to the current contract, the village can choose to extend or renew for an additional five-year term. The agreement began in 2004.

Board members learned how residential refuse is transferred to the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) while recyclables and yard waste go to Waste Management facilities. All refuse from commercial or multi-family units, where recycling is an option but not mandatory, goes to Waste Management.

"SWANCC recently implemented a recycling incentive program," Bajor said. She offered two options to Waste Management for consideration. One was taking recyclables to SWANCC that would then pay the tipping fees for refuse; the other was taking both solid waste and recyclables to a SWANCC site rather than to a Waste Management site.

The village also hoped to increase recycling in its commercial and multi-family units and provide businesses with a free 95-gallon cart to use in the program.