Port Huron’s new trash removal agreement with Emterra Environmental begins in less than a month and there will be some changes for both residential and commercial property owners in the city. City Engineer Eric Witter tells WPHM commercial properties, including those downtown, will no longer be receiving trash and recycling services.
“They have their own option to hire their own contractor or Emterra is willing to work with the customers directly,” said Witter. “Those (commercial) property owners aren’t obligated to go with Emterra, but they have offered that service to those commercial properties.”
Notices of the discontinuance of commercial waste pickup were mailed to affected properties Friday. The change in service is due to the city replacing a 3-mill property tax for trash removal with a new flat rate fee assessed to residential parcels.
Residential parcels will continue to have unlimited pickup under the new contract. However, Witter says there will be a new cap on the amount of bulky items that can be placed at the curb each week.
“Bulk items are limited to one item per household per week,” said Witter. “An example would be a box spring and mattress considered one bulk item.”
The Flint-based waste hauler was the only bidder for trash, recycling, yard waste, and bulk leaf removal in the city. The new $14 million five-year agreement begins July 1st.
