Committee on Environmental Protection & Energy Chicago City Council Meeting February 19, 2020
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Better Government Association report that Waste Management is the only recycling hauler operating a for-profit landfill where a large portion of Chicago's garbage and recycling is dumped; and,
WHEREAS, members ofthe Chicago City Council and the Illinois Environmental Council have demanded a thorough review of the managed competition for garbage and recycling services; and,
WHEREAS, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has asked the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation to launch a waste management study to find ways to improve Chicago's dismal 9% recycling rate; and,
WHEREAS, reports from the Better Government Association found that 90% of all City of Chicago recycling bins tagged "grossly contaminated" came from Waste Management even though Waste Management only services half of the City of Chicago; and,
WHEREAS, the foregoing causes the City ofChicago to pay Waste Management twice, once when Waste Management tags a recycling bin and a second time when Chicago trash crews take the bin to a Waste Management landfill; and,
WHEREAS, Waste Management marks recycling bins as contaminated 20 times more than other crews combined; and,
WHEREAS, the City ofChicago currently recycles at a rate of only 9%, the lowest of all major cities in the United States; and,
WHEREAS, after Waste Management's merger with USA Waste, Waste Management raised Waste Management's tip fees 40% to 138%; and,
WHEREAS, prior to the Waste Management/ USA Waste merger, Waste Management's CEO stated that "with some weaker companies gone from the industry in recent years and continuing consolidation, disposal prices can be increased without losing competitors"; and,
WHEREAS, Waste Management now intends to acquire Advanced Disposal, one ofthe largest recycling companies in the United States; and,
WHEREAS, Waste Management would own 42% of all transfer stati...
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