Geneva City Council OKs new 5-year contract for waste pickup

GENEVA – The Geneva City Council approved a new five-year contract June 5 with LRS, the city’s refuse provider, officials said in a news release.

Collection days and services will remain the same as part of the new contract, which will run from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2028.

Residents can keep disposing of trash with a “pay as you throw” user-base model using waste stickers or continue subscribing to their LRS garbage cart.

Customers also will keep using their recycling carts as normal.

The light blue stickers with an expiration date of June 30 will be valid through July 31.

Residents should be mindful of how many stickers they purchase in June, according to the release.

The city and LRS are working to establish a waste sticker exchange program in which residents will be able to trade in their expiring stickers for new ones. Details will be announced later this month, according to the release.

The start of the new contract brings new refuse rates for stickers and cart service.

Waste stickers currently cost $3.10.

On July 1, the cost will increase to $3.95. In year two, the cost will be $4.13. In year three, it will be $4.32. In year four, it will be $4.51, and in year five, the cost will be $4.71, according to the contract.

The full schedule of costs is available at www.geneva.il.us.

The new blue and white stickers that are part of the 2023-28 contract will be available to purchase at the city’s Finance Department, 15 S. First St. or online via PayPal on the city’s website or at select local retailers in the coming weeks.

As a reminder, stickers should be looped around the garbage can handles so LRS drivers can rip them off easily. Customers who affix the sticker flat on their garbage can or lid risk not having their trash picked up that week.

Refuse collection will be delayed one day later than normal the week of July 3 because of the Independence Day holiday. The normal Thursday-Friday schedule will resume the following week.

More information about Geneva’s garbage rates and refuse services, which include yard waste pickup, a food scrap program and electronics recycling, can be found on the city’s website at www.geneva.il.us.

Questions can be directed to LRS Customer Service at 844-633-3577 or via email at service@LRSrecycles.com.