Maricopa looks to expand hours at waste, recycling center

Expanded hours are likely soon at the Maricopa Waste & Recycling Center, which the city took over three months ago.

The facility at 46250 W. McDavid Road, managed by Right Away Disposal (RAD) until Jan. 27, collects trash and debris, recyclables, vehicle tires and batteries, electronic waste and water-based paint. The city took control from RAD after determining it could eventually provide more services than the Apache Junction-based trash hauler. RAD still collects trash for some city HOAs.

“We have been paying RAD a flat rate, and that flat rate is excessive to what the benefit being realized is,” City Manager Rick Horst said. “So our goal is to take over and do the same thing they’re doing right now, but ultimately, to do more.”

In the near future, the city does anticipate adding service hours, according to Mike Riggs, director of public services for the city. Currently, city and Pinal County residents can drop off materials only on Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For now, however, there will be no change in services or collection fees.

Transfer station staff are surveying users to determine if a second day of operation would be beneficial, according to Riggs, who said the increase in landscape waste during the summer months may help to determine additional operating hours.

Riggs said savings to the city, which could be as high as $120,000 annually, will allow more pick-up of illegal dumping in the community and increased pursuit of illegal dumpers. The city leases the property from Pinal County but is in the process of purchasing the site.

The number of drop-offs at the collection center before and after the city takeover is similar, said Riggs, noting that the standing stay-at-home order during the ongoing coronavirus health crisis make straight comparisons difficult.

“We are excited to have any bulk waste brought to the center if that helps to slow illegal dumping in the city and county,” Riggs said.

The city is open to partnerships with Pinal County on scheduling special materials collection days at the site. Information about such arrangements would be provided to city and county residents, he noted.

In another move to provide strict oversight of solid waste management under its Strategic Plan, the city in the fall began looking into a single citywide trash collector after Heritage District residents complained about the high prices they were paying haulers. The Heritage District, the oldest part of Maricopa, does not have an HOA.

The city has since determined that with individual HOAs managing their own trash contract fees and lengths, it was not feasible to buy out those existing contracts with haulers like Waste Management and RAD.

“The city will continue to monitor these services for future opportunities to help reduce the trash collection costs to the citizens,” Riggs said.

Meanwhile, the city has been working with trash haulers to provide a Heritage District collection fee, said Riggs.

“We hope to determine if we can provide a benefit to the residents of the Heritage District before the end of May and present this to the Heritage District Committee,” he said.