FIRST BAG OR CAN FREE

When all Trash or yard waste must be bagged or tagged, your first bag or can is a 100% or Total PAYT Program.

HYBRID OR BAG EXTRA WASTE PROGRAMS

Charging only for extra waste is the most popular form of PAYT. Communities using this type of program charge a base, or pass by, rate. For example, $6.00 per household for two bags at no additional cost. Anything over the two-bag limit must be paid for, usually with the purchase of either a printed bag or a sticker. Some programs require a bag or tag on every container. Others require extra waste charges after one or more “free” containers, but usually charge a base rate per household. Serving over 1,500 communities with PAYT programs, we have observed that the easiest transition to a PAYT system is with a combination of base rate and extra waste charges.

• Give your residents an easy way to pay for extra waste
• Reduce phone calls and book-keeping hassles
• Reduce the temptation for your drivers to take cash

BAG PROGRAMS

Bag programs are popular with some communities.

Before starting a bag program in your area, please review the specifications listed below:

• Thirty-gallon (30″ x 36″) bags are the most popular size for recycling programs.
• Thirty-three gallon (33” x 39”) bags are the most popular size for yard waste.

• Refuse can be collected in either size bag. However, for the bag to serve as a can liner in garbage cans it should be thirty-three gallons (33″ x 39″).

Bag Color
Collectors need to be able to see your bags year round when they are out on the street.  That is why color is a very important aspect of the “Pay As You Throw” programs.   Popular colors are:  blue, yellow, mint green and orange. The color red is usually associated with medical waste, and should be avoided.  Different shades of green can work, although some greens can be almost as hard to see as black bags.

Accurate Counts
The key to packaging is an accurate count. Undercounts are the source of frustration on the part of resellers and residents. Overcounts cost the authority a lot of revenue. If your vendor cannot count, you need another vendor. We weigh every package and every case to insure that the counts are accurate. We guarantee accurate counts. Resourceful offers customers the option of individually folding the bags for you. For towns that sell them one at time, it is the optimum solution.

Thickness
We can work with you to help transition your community to a stronger but thinner (and therefore less expensive) bag.    Political pressure from bad bag experiences has some municipalities specifying 2 and even 3 mil bags.   The new resins contained in our bags make the old 2-mil bag specs obsolete.

TAG PROGRAMS:

The 5 Most Common Complaints from program managers who have purchased tags locally:

• “Their tags don’t stick!”
• “Their counts per package are inaccurate!”
• “Their numbering is not sequential!”
• “We have problems because of late deliveries!”
• “Their tags are not slit or perforated properly!”

Our Tag Basics

• Self adhesive strip tags are recommended over square or round tags because they can be looped around the neck of a bag or the handle of a can. The standard size strip tag is 7.5″ x 1.4″.
• When applied correctly, the tags are weather proof, highly visible, and cannot be removed without tearing, which reduces theft of the tags.
• Tags are custom printed with your company’s or community’s name and logo in the colors of your choice with environmentally safe, water-based ink.
• Two-sided printing is available allowing more room for information and instructions
• Tags are packaged 5 to a sheet, and are perforated and back slit for easy handling and application. They are shrink wrapped in packs of 500 tags (100 sheets) to insure tamper-proof delivery.
• Sequential numbering is available for precise billing, inventory control accurate distribution, and auditing. Accuracy is guaranteed.

Custom sizes and colors (including florescent) are available

BULKY WASTE PROGRAMS:

Tires, appliances, and everything including the kitchen sink can be paid for at the curb. Bulk waste collection stickers are a convenient way to charge for the disposal of large items. Yard waste, appliances, and electronic items are all good targets for PAYT. Electronics (computers, monitors, TV, etc) are particularly critical as the whole country continues the transition to HDTV sets.

There is a glut of electronics items out there, and when the full wave of old TV’s and monitors hit the market, it will be a flood.

YARD WASTE PROGRAMS:

Yard waste is the most successful PAYT program. Increasingly, compost facilities are banning plastic bags, and municipalities are looking for alternatives. Resourceful has been dealing with yard waste issues for the past eleven years. We have hundreds of customers who are using some variation of these programs to address the yard waste issue.

When a fee is charged, for picking up yard waste, it encourages residents to compost or mulch their own yard waste. People who insist on having their yard waste collected must pay for the privilege.

VARIABLE CAN RATES

Wheeled Carts can be used in PAYT programs. For example, when a 95-gallon cart is charged at a higher rate than the 65-gallon cart, that’s PAYT.

CONTAINER PERMITS - KEEP YOUR CONTAINERS LOOKING GOOD

Container use permits are a supplement to paper lawn and leaf bags.  You need to introduce a yard waste program that will ban the use of plastic bags which require debagging at compost facilities.  Each resident is required to put leaves and/or grass into 2 ply paper yard waste bags into bulk 33 gallon plastic containers, which saves the resident time and money.

Offer a container use permit which can be applied to a locally purchased 33 gallon plastic container.  The resident applies the decal to the container and is entitled for one free collection per week.  Overage must be placed in locally purchased paper bags.  It is a savings for residents and accomplishes your objective of banning plastic bags.

NON-COLLECTION NOTICES

When you give customers a limit on set out, it is important that you get paid for additional set out. Use non-collection “Sorry Tags” to educate your customers and enforce compliance.

TIPS FOR STARTING A PLASTIC BAG PROGRAM

With over 20 years of experience, bags are our business. Feel free to call one of our Product Managers if you have any questions about your program: 800-872-8241. Before you start a bag program in your area, review the below specifications. Thirty-gallon (30″ x 36″) is the popular size for recycling programs and thirty-three gallon (33” x 39”) is the most popular size for yardwaste. Refuse can be collected in either size bag. However, for the bag to serve as a can liner in garbage cans it should be thirty-three gallons (33″ x 39″).

Recycled Content

The unpredictability of recycled content is the core issue. Using PCR regrind in a bag with plastics of unknown origins or contaminated plastics can cause problems. In a nutshell: know your vendor and dial in the amount of recycled content that is politically correct, but which also gives you the performance that you require. Resourceful often adds up to 10% post consumer recovered plastic, but will add up to 20% on request.

Bottom Seal

The best all around bottom seal is a flat bottom bag. This eliminates the weak spots of a gusseted bottom and the volume problem of star sealed bags.

Printing

We recommend a large plate (150-250 square inch) and contrasting color of water-based ink.

Color

Color is very important in P-A-Y-T programs. This is particularly true when bags are set out on the street. Collectors need to be able to see them year round. Colors like mint green, yellow, purple and blue are popular for these reasons. Red is usually avoided because it is associated with medical waste. Different shades of green can work, although some greens can be almost as hard to see as black bags.

Opacity

Also a trash bag needs to be opaque to be popular with the residents. However, opacity is expensive in the bright colors. Similarly, recycling bags need to be translucent so collection can see the recyclables.

Bags can be packaged in rolls or individual flat-packs, with our without sleeves or inserts. If you choose flat or cut bags, it is important that bags are not gang-folded together. Residents need to be able to remove bags one at a time from the packaging.

It is much more practical to sell bags in packages of 5 or 10. Ten pack bags are the most economical and the best value. Towns that supply residents with bags annually typically give one large roll of 52 bags (one per week) or one case of 100 bags.

Typically, bags are sold at convenient places and town offices. To identify your bags at retail outlets, use printed outer-sleeves or inserts. Inserts are quick & economical. They can be coded with UPC bars to help with auditing.

Accurate Counts

The key to packaging is an accurate count. Undercounts are the source of fury on the part of resellers and residents. Over counts cost the authority a lot of revenue. If your vendor cannot count, you need another vendor. We weigh every package and every case to insure that the counts are accurate. We guarantee accurate counts. Resourceful offers customers the option of individually folding the bags. For towns that sell them one at time, it is the optimum solution.

Thickness

Political pressure from bad bag experiences has some municipalities specifying 2 and even 3 mil bags. The new resins make the old 2-mil bag specs obsolete. We can work with you to transition a community to stronger but thinner, (and therefore less expensive) bags. For example, we have provided bags to one of our customers since 1993. They use approximately 1.5 million bags per year in two sizes, 24″ x 32″ and 33″ x 39″. Both are in five packs, both are 1.25 mil. extra strength resin. In that time, no resident has ever called the City and reported a bag failure.

Bag companies routinely down the gauge of the bags and call it “industry standard”. A 2-mil bag is rarely even 1.8 mil. You have a duty to hold companies accountable. We can show you how to weigh a bag, which is the absolute way to determine true millage (thickness).

Delivery

How long does it take to get a custom bag delivered? Resourceful guarantees to ship 4 weeks from the date of artwork approval. However, we respond to the needs of our customers in emergencies.

Recycling Bags are typically 30 gallons (30×36). Because it is important to see the contents of the bags, they are typically clear or with a tint color. There are many benefits to using a plastic bag for residential recycling programs. For residents, it is a one-way trip to the curb. Also, there is less chance that the recyclables will be scattered by the wind, as with bins. For haulers, the biggest advantage to a plastic bag program is that it eliminates returning containers to the curb after emptying.

Plastic bag programs save haulers a minimum of 10% collection time, which more than covers the cost of the bags!

Recycling Bins (usually between 14 to 24 gallons) are a popular way to collect recyclables. One of the primary benefits of a bin is that you can see its contents at a glance. Contamination is a problem in recycling programs and it is easier to see into a bin than a bag. Bins are required when sorting is done at the curb. However, most programs have gotten away from curbside sorting because it is more economical to do the processing at a recycling center.  Many recycling programs are switching to single stream recycling where all recyclables are commingled into one container.

Bins are available in 4 to 22 gallon sizes. Custom hot-stamping & colors available.

Wheeled Carts, especially smaller carts and split-compartment recycling carts, are gaining in popularity for recycling. Some towns even have three carts per resident: one each for trash, yardwaste, and recyclables. Carts are the most expensive of the three options, but they permit automated or semi-automated collection.

Wheeled Carts are available in 35, 65, and 95 gallon sizes. Liners are also available.

Whatever container or combination of containers you choose, it is recommended to specify some percentage of recycled content to help “close the loop”, and to raise awareness about the importance of recycling. for details on the recycled content of all of our products.
However you choose to design your program, call Resourceful.
We go the extra mile to meet your needs, and will provide bags and containers that are cost effective and durable.

Increasingly compost facilities are banning plastic bags and municipalities are looking for alternatives. We have hundreds of customers who are using some variation of Save-As-You-Throw programs to address the yardwaste issue.  Charging a fee for yardwaste collection encourages residents to compost or mulch their own yardwaste. Those who prefer to have their yardwaste collected must pay for the service. (Some municipalities make an exception and allow a free leaf pick-up in the fall).

Below are a variety of yardwaste collection solutions.

Let our experienced staff help you choose the one that is right for you.

Custom Printed Paper Yardwaste Bags

30 gallon paper bags have to plys of wet strength Kraft paper.

We recommend a large plate (150-250 square inch) and water-based ink in a contrasting color.

Yardwaste Collection Permits

The least expensive solution is a Bulk yardwaste Collection Program. All that is required for htis type of program is:

• garbage can or cart
• permanent yardwaste collection decal
• educational material including how to affix decal to cart

Yardwaste Tag Program

All-weather, heavy-duty tags can be used to identify yardwaste for collection. Tags are sold at convenient retail outlets, municipal offices or even mailed to customers. Residents place them on a generic, Kraft paper bag purchased locally or through the handle of a yardwaste trash can. Each time yardwaste is collected the tag is removed from the can handle or collected with the bag.

A Solution for Non-compliance: Non-Collection Notices

When compliance is an issue — customers who insist on using plastic bags, who mix trash with yardwaste, etc. — a non-collection notice is left on the container. The resident is alerted to correct the problem so that the yardwaste can be collected properly.

to learn more about Resourceful’s biodegradable Kraft Paper Yardwaste Bags.

click to learn more about Resourceful’s permanent decals.

click to learn more about Resourceful’s All-Weather Tags.

click to learn more about Resourceful’s non-collection notices.

Types of Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) Trash Programs

Extra Waste Programs

Charging only for extra waste is the most popular form of PAYT. Communities using this type of program charge a base, or pass by, rate. For example, $6.00 per household for two bags at no additional cost. Anything over the two-bag limit must be paid for, usually with the purchase of either a printed bag or a sticker.Some programs require a bag or tag on every container. Others require extra waste charges after one or more “free” containers, but usually charge a base rate per household. Serving over 1,500 communities with SAYT programs, we have observed that the easiest transition to a PAYT system is with a combination of base rate and extra waste charges.

• Give your residents an easy way to pay for extra waste
• Reduce phone calls and book-keeping hassles
• Reduce the temptation for your drivers to take cash

BULK WASTE PROGRAMS:

Tires, appliances, and everything including the kitchen sink can be paid for at the curb. Bulk waste collection stickers are a convenient way to charge for the disposal of large items. Yard waste, appliances, and electronic items are all good targets for PAYT. Electronics (computers, monitors, TV, etc) are particularly critical as the whole country continues the transition to HDTV sets.

There is a glut of electronics items out there, and when the full wave of old TV’s and monitors hit the market, it will be a flood.

YARD WASTE PROGRAMS:

Yard waste is the most successful PAYT program. Increasingly, compost facilities are banning plastic bags, and municipalities are looking for alternatives. Resourceful has been dealing with yard waste issues for the past eleven years. We have hundreds of customers who are using some variation of these programs to address the yard waste issue.

When a fee is charged, for picking up yard waste, it encourages residents to compost or mulch their own yard waste. People who insist on having their yard waste collected must pay for the privilege.

VARIABLE CAN RATES

Wheeled Carts can be used in PAYT programs. For example, when a 95-gallon cart is charged at a higher rate than the 65-gallon cart, that’s PAYT.

NON-COLLECTION NOTICES

When you give customers a limit on set out, it is important that you get paid for additional set out. Use non-collection “Sorry Tags” to educate your customers and enforce compliance.