Choose What You Pay
In Saint Paul, residents hire their own garbage hauler. Garbage haulers are required to offer volume-based rates to their customers. For example, customers pay more for a 45-gallon garbage can than a 30-gallon garbage can. When comparing prices among haulers, make sure to compare both volumes and prices. Some haulers may quote the price for a 30-gallon can, while others may quote the price for a 45-gallon can. Volume-based fees help the environment because they encourage people to reduce their trash and provide an economical incentive for those that do.
Save Money by Producing Less Trash
- Recycling will reduce the amount of trash you throw out. Call Eureka Recycling at (651) 222-SORT (7678) to find out what is recycled in Saint Paul and when it is picked up.
- Shop carefully. Look for products that have recyclable or minimal packaging. In the United States, about one-third of household waste by weight is from packaging. By volume, it is almost 50 percent.
- Buy in bulk. Many local grocery stores and co-ops offer nuts, dish soap, candy, water, flour and other common products in bulk. If you have questions about how to buy items in bulk at your grocery store, ask a staff person to assist you.
- Start a backyard-composting or worm-composting bin. Eureka Recycling offers free workshops on how to compost food scraps, lawn clippings, leaves and garden waste. Finished compost makes great mulch and fertilizer for the yard or garden.
What If You Have Less Than One Can A Week?
Unfortunately, some garbage haulers do not offer a lower rate for volumes less than one 30-gallon can. However, you may still have some options to pay less.
- Share your garbage service with a neighbor. It is legal in Saint Paul to share garbage service with someone else. For example, if you and your neighbor share one 30-gallon can, have the hauler send the bill to you and have your neighbor pay you half the bill.
- Call your hauler and ask if he or she is willing to consider lower volume rates such as a 19-gallon can or less frequent pickup. If your household size is smaller than it used to be and you have been with the same hauler for several years, you may be able to negotiate for less frequent pickup or a smaller garbage can.
