Dayton ‘Big Bin’ Recycling Program to Expand Citywide

Release Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Contact: Fred Stovall, Director of Public Works, 333-4070


Due to popular demand, the City of Dayton is buying 10,000 more “Big Bin” recycling containers that will expand the enhanced service to every Dayton neighborhood by early summer.

The City’s Department of Public Works distributed about 10,000 of the larger 96-gallon recycling containers to 33 targeted neighborhoods last year. This additional supply will allow all interested Dayton homeowners to participate in the program. Roughly 35 percent of Dayton households currently recycle.

“There is a growing interest throughout the community to recycle more in order to save money and protect the environment,” said Mayor Gary Leitzell, who advocated for expanding the Big Bin program to all Dayton neighborhoods. “This is one way we can enhance our service delivery while saving tax dollars.”

The City of Dayton could save approximately $343,000 a year if it collects 1,000 tons of recyclables a month. The savings results by diverting more waste from the landfill (where tipping fees are $38.25 a ton) to the recycling center (where disposal costs drop to zero after 500 tons). City of Dayton residents disposed of about 367 tons of recyclables in December.

The new round of Big Bins will be rolled out in three phases over the next few months, with distribution expected to be fully completed by early summer. Residents in the following neighborhoods will receive an advance mailer asking if they would like to participate in the program. The mailer includes instructions on how interested participants can apply to receive their Big Bin.


Phase One – neighborhoods with a Thursday collection date (estimated distribution by late February): Burkhardt, Downtown, Eastern Hills, Historic Inner East, McCook Field, Old North Dayton, Oregon, Springfield, and Webster Station.

Phase Two – neighborhoods with Tuesday and Wednesday collection dates (estimated distribution by mid April): Arlington Heights, Carillon, Edgemont, Five Points, Hearthstone, Lakeview, Linden Heights, MacFarlane, Pineview, Roosevelt, and Wolf Creek.

Phase Three – neighborhoods with a Monday collection date (estimated distribution by early June): Cornell Heights, Dayton View Triangle, Hillcrest, Mount Vernon, North Riverdale, Princeton Heights, Santa Clara, Southern Dayton View, and University Row.

To finance the new containers, the Dayton City Commission approved a $479,250 internal bond sale. In effect the City will use the bond proceeds to pay for the new containers and will pay-back the debt with 3% interest over seven years. As residents recycle more, the cost savings from the lower waste and recycling disposal fees will be used for the debt repayment.