Refuse Division Data

Highlights

• Increased refuse route completion rates from 50-65% in early 2025 to over 90% in late 2025 without additional cost, by initiating a performance-based incentive system, shifting recycling collection to centralized drop sites, and by reforming paid family and medical leave.
• While route completion and coverage data was not recorded until September 2025, CSB requests for missed refuse collections indicate 50-65% completion rates in the first half of 2025.
• Implemented a $75/day “extra route” incentive model in August 2025, improving productivity and workforce morale.

Quarterly Route Coverage

The Refuse Division is responsible for the collection and disposal of residential waste, and coordinates efforts to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills. Alley and roll cart waste collection represents a significant component of Refuse Division operations.

Typically, alley routes collect solid waste twice a week and yard waste once a week. Yard waste is only collected on an as-needed basis during the mid-December to mid-March period. Roll cart routes collect solid waste once a week and recycling once a week.

The dashboard below displays the percentage of alley and roll cart routes covered by these operations in a given quarter. 

Scheduled Refuse Service

The dashboard below displays the percentage of scheduled refuse service completed in a given week. Scheduled refuse service represents the percentage of completed refuse service out of the total targeted refuse service for a given period. Targets are determined on a weekly basis in alignment with the collection benchmarks stated above. Partial route coverage is included in this calculation. 

Tonnage Successfully Recycled

In 2025, the City pivoted to a recycling strategy based on data-driven insights indicating that over 50% of collected materials were being rejected due to contamination. Instead of alley collection, the Refuse division implemented recycling drop-off points. The results are outstanding:

• Slashed contamination by 85%.
• Increased percentage of material successfully recycled from 37% to 78%.
• Savings: in total, across these roughly six months of reporting, the new system has generated over $450,000 in cost savings compared to the old system.
• Increased the number of drop-off recycling locations by 20 in 90 days for a total of 45 sites, ensuring a location within a mile of every resident.