Rehoboth to vote on ending commercial trash service

The Rehoboth Beach commissioners will vote Friday, March 17 on an ordinance to end commercial trash service by Jan. 1.

Residential trash and recycling service will continue for residents in the central commercial areas, but commercial businesses, about 97 in all, would have to contract with private haulers if the measure is approved.

City officials say the ordinance affects a small number of businesses and will help ensure compliance with Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, which is planning to crack down on mixed trash and recyclables. The city does not offer recycling to commercial properties, as recycling has been handled by Delaware Solid Waste Authority. However, city officials say the authority plans to end recycling services, so city officials must decide whether to offer recycling or allow private haulers. City officials say providing commercial recycling is cost prohibitive, and it is not feasible to offer commercial trash service without offering recycling.

Several of the businesses that use city trash services are concerned commercial haulers will create problems.

Alex Moore, co-owner of the Avenue Inn, said city services worked well. ““The service schedule in and out of season was a good fit for us, the price was reasonable, and we liked the ability to use the curbside cans as opposed to a dumpster.”

Moore said his company, Seaboard Hotels, is evaluating proposals for trash and recycling pickup from three private haulers. He said the haulers have indicated to him that lots of businesses in town have been inquiring about services, leading Moore to think competition may help prices go down.  

“We are looking at the ability to change our curbside cans to small dumpsters, but storage and facilitating the pickups is an issue for us,” Moore said. “The city did not pick up early in the morning, which the commercial haulers like to do, and this can cause a disturbance to our guests.”

Frank Cole, owner of Atlantic Cycle, uses city trash service at some locations, based on cost. Cole said the city offers services on an annual basis, with billing in May, whereas commercial haulers have monthly billing with the option to discontinue in the winter when some of his stores are closed.

“I must say that I think the city trash service does a much better job, hands down.  The city has the cleanest, most reliable and friendliest service around. They have some really great people working for them in the Streets Department,” Cole said.

Of the ordinance, Cole said, “I do not favor the elimination of city commercial trash collection. I think that when the city is suddenly out of the equation, it will lead to a crackdown on businesses and make trash issues even more contentious.”

Jim Derrick, co-owner of Sea Shell Shop and Shell We Bounce, and a city trash customer since 1980, said eliminating commercial trash service is not a practical solution for many businesses. He said at the Rehoboth Avenue Sea Shell Shop, trash bins are put in alleys, but with private haulers, businesses are usually required to use a dumpster. Derrick said he uses a private hauler for trash at his Route 1 Sea Shell Shop, and in that case, they use bins, but for many stores on Rehoboth Avenue that do not have alleyways, there is no place to store bins.

Derrick said a better solution could be to have recycling handled by private haulers but keep city trash service, with businesses using the city signing a waiver they will not commingle trash and recycling. This way, he said, liability would be passed on to the businesses.

Canopy ban to be voted on

Besides the commercial trash ordinance, the commissioners will consider an ordinance that would ban canopies, fires and cooking devices from the beach.

A vote will also be taken on the $28 million, 2017-18 city budget, which would go into effect Saturday, April 1.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m., at the Rehoboth fire hall.