After three years of debate and discussion the City of Omaha has a new trash hauler. The City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday afternoon to award the city's trash contract to FCC Environmental on a two-cart system.
That's the company and bid that Mayor Jean Stothert has supported. Starting in 2021, homeowners will have one bin for trash and yard waste and another 96-gallon bin for recycling. There is an option to get one half that size. Recycling will be collected every other week.
The council also voted to allow unlimited yard waste collection in the spring and fall. "This will be something different. It will take time for the residents to get used to it," Stothert says. "Change is hard but I think once people get used to it they're going to love the new system."
It will take the company up to 18 months to get set up and be operational. FCC Environmental will be paid $24.2 million a year for 10 years.