Changes to Trash & Recycle Service

Dear Friends,

Beginning in September, Rumpke will implement a significant change in the way we recycle in Prospect.  At the beginning of July, we moved to once per week trash pickup.  In September, we will begin curbside recycling using large rolling carts. I am writing this article to try to answer frequently asked questions that I have fielded in recent weeks. 

Recycling:  Beginning on Thursday, September 14, all recycling will be picked up at the curb, and Rumpke will pick up recycling once every two weeks thereafter.  There will be no recycling pick-up on Thursday, September 7.  After September 1, there will no longer be backdoor recycling pickup.  If your current recycling day is Friday, recycling collection will change from Friday to Thursday. 

Rumpke will deliver to each Prospect household one 95-gallon recycling rolling cart. There will be no charge to homeowners for the new cart. If you have not received the new cart by September 14, please continue to use the smaller recycling bin and please place the bin at the curb.

Once Rumpke has delivered the large rolling carts, Rumpke will no longer collect recycling in the smaller green bins. Recycling must be placed inside the 95-gallon recycling cart for collection, and you will need to roll the cart to the curb. The reason for this is that Rumpke will soon begin using an automated recycling truck to service Prospect. The truck uses a mechanical arm to collect recycling carts, eliminating the need for the driver to exit the vehicle.

You may keep the smaller green recycling bin you currently have.  We will let you know at a later date when you should leave unwanted bins out for pickup by Rumpke.    

If you recycle and have a concern that you may not be able to safely move a 95-gallon rolling cart to the curb, please contact me. We have a team of volunteers available to assist.

If you recycle and believe that you will need more than one 95-gallon cart, I encourage you to try the new carts for a month.  After a month, if you find you need more than one cart, please let me know.

We will email you a collection calendar, and one will be placed on the city’s website to help you determine when recycling will be picked up.

Trash Service: Rumpke now collects trash once each week – either on Monday or Tuesday, depending on your neighborhood. Trash pick-up occurs at the backdoor. Many of our neighbors place their trash at the curb; if you do that, you may continue doing so.     

For trash, you may use containers of your choosing, but those containers should not exceed a total of 95 gallons of trash.  For example, you may use a 95-gallon container or up to three 32-gallon trash containers. Rumpke trash carts are available for $3.50 per month, or you may purchase a 95-gallon cart from Home Depot or another vendor.

Apartments, Condominiums, and Townhouses: If you live in an apartment, condominium, or townhouse and have questions about recycling, please do not hesitate to contact me.   

Cost Savings: In round numbers, Prospect paid Rumpke $750,000 per year for each of the past four years. During the course of our previous agreement, Rumpke experienced significant increases in the cost of labor, trucks, maintenance, and insurance, and those increases led to the need for pricing adjustments. To maintain the same level of service for the next four years, the cost to Prospect would have been $1,200,000 annually. By making the changes in trash and recycling pickup that we have made, our annual payment to Rumpke for each of the next four years will be $740,000.

Please contact me with any remaining questions you may have. My email is mayor@prospectky.com or you may call or text me on my cell 502-593-3770.  

Thanks,

Doug Farnsley, Mayor