FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2024

Contact: 
Kamal Baker
kamal.baker@ci.stpaul.mn.us
763-381-1335

Mayor Carter Announces Next Evolution of  
Citywide Garbage and Recycling Collection 

Service providers selected for recycling services starting in November 2024, and  
garbage, bulky and yard waste collection services starting in April 2025

SAINT PAUL, MN -  Today, Mayor Carter announced the next evolution of citywide garbage and recycling collection, with new recycling service starting in November 2024, and new garbage collection services starting in April 2025. Following a Request for Proposal which included a rigorous evaluation process, the city will begin negotiations with 

FCC Environmental for garbage, bulky, yard waste, and multi-unit recycling collection services and Neighborhood Recycling Corporation, also known as Eureka Recycling for single unit dwelling recycling services.  

These new services will launch as the city transitions from the current Citywide Garbage Program contract, which serves the more than 65,000 households of 1- to 4-unit properties, and the current recycling contract, serving approximately 128,000 residential household units across the city. 

"I look forward to this next phase of organized hauling, which addresses the major concerns we hear from residents, while advancing our goals for a cleaner and more sustainable city,” said Mayor Carter.  

“We want to make it easier and simpler for all Saint Paul residents to reuse and reduce their total amount of household waste,” said Director of Public Works Sean Kershaw. “City garbage services will make our efforts more equitable and sustainable. We are excited to work with our partners and provide expanded programs and resources for our residents to properly dispose of materials and learn how to produce less waste.”    

These new garbage services will include limited opt out provisions, and cart sharing for multi-unit and adjacent single-family homes. The city will manage all billing, customer service and education efforts, as well as cart services including cart maintenance and repair.  

In alignment with recommendations from the City’s Garbage Advisory Committee, the Mayor also announced that the city is poised to assume up to 10% of citywide garbage collection when the new contract period begins in April 2025. At their March 6 meeting, the Saint Paul City Council will take up a budget amendment to make planned investments in solid waste service collection vehicles in preparation for this transition. Read the RES PH 24-48 here.  

These new unified services highlight a new level of coordination between providers, residents and city staff to provide seamless and improved collection services in Saint Paul.  

SAINT PAUL’S RECENT HISTORY OF GARBAGE COLLECTION
The city had a five-year contract with the St. Paul Haulers, LLC (consortium of haulers) to provide residential garbage services for more than 74,000 1- to 4-unit dwelling properties from October 1, 2018-September 30, 2023.  

In September 2023, the city and St. Paul Haulers agreed to an 18-month contract extension to provide residential garbage services through March 31, 2025. The garbage contract extension allowed the city to prepare and issue a comprehensive RFP that included program changes recommended by both the Garbage Advisory Committee and city staff.  

ABOUT THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL AND CONTRACT AWARD PROCESS
On November 13, 2023, the City of Saint Paul issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for garbage, bulky, recyclables, and yard waste collection services. The RFP included draft contract language outlining required services from the hauler(s), including limited opt out provisions, cart sharing for multi-unit and adjacent single-family homes, billing and customer services provided by the city, and city-led cart maintenance and repairs. The city will handle all billing, customer service and education efforts, and cart services for garbage and recycling with a new contract.  

The city encouraged small or emerging haulers/entities to respond to the RFP. The city accepted proposals from single haulers and proposals from a team of haulers or entities submitting as a single contractor. Other aspects of the process included: 

  • Proposers could submit for portions or all of the city 
  • Proposals were accepted for a contract duration of 5 or 7 years 
  • Pricing for the duration of the contract was requested with the proposal, which eliminates the uncertainty for the city and residents about future costs 

The city received nine proposals by the December 29, 2023, deadline. As a part of the process, all nine proposals were scored and evaluated. All proposers were invited to participate in a panel interview. The city conducted reference calls with all of the proposers’ listed references. 

The proposals were scored on criteria in the following categories: 

  • Philosophy and Approach 
  • Sustainability Practices & Labor and Workforce History 
  • Qualifications 
  • Customer Service experience 
  • Proposer’s Acceptance of Draft Agreement 
  • Proposed Price Structure 
 

Saint Paul has completed the evaluation process, with notifications to all proposals now complete, the city will begin negotiating a contract with providers selected to advance.  

ABOUT THE PROVIDERS
FCC Environmental has been providing waste collection and disposal services since 1911, and today provides services to over 60 million people in more than 5,000 municipalities across the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, and other countries across Europe tailored to the needs of its partners using the latest technologies and environmentally friendly equipment.  

Eureka Recycling is a nonprofit zero waste organization and social enterprise recycler based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Eureka Recycling employs over 100 people and has a zero-waste mission. 

ABOUT THE CITY ASSUMING UP TO 10% OF GARBAGE COLLECTION
In alignment with the recommendations of the Garbage Advisory Committee, assuming up to 10% of garbage collection will support the city’s ability to:  

  • Focus on certain alley routes and properties that may be challenging for collection   
  • Better identify, first-hand, systemic opportunities and challenges and address them more quickly by utilizing all city departments, designated haulers, and residents as needed   
  • Coordinate its various garbage, recycling, and litter services with city-owned public spaces and buildings. This provides a more unified and responsive enterprise approach to garbage, including public litter management, encampments, public trash containers, and illegal dumping   
  • Work in partnership with private haulers to more efficiently create a standard level of service across the city and reduce conflicts with other planned city maintenance and operations, such as sweeping and construction projects.  
  • Create new jobs to retain and employ top talent, which will also increase the number of staff with commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to support winter snow operations if needed  
  • Immediately respond and deploy needed resources to address any unexpected natural disasters, or hauling or collection issues with other haulers. 

Learn more about Saint Paul’s garbage and recycling programs at stpaul.gov/garbage.  

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Last Edited: March 1, 2024