The Greta City Council selected River Birch Renewable Energy LLC to take over twice-a-week, curbside garbage collection as part of a deal that will cost residents an extra $5 per month and won't include recycling.

Starting July 1, residents in the West Bank municipality will pay $24.20 per month for garbage services, up from the current rate of $19.16 per month that residents are paying Waste Connections under a soon-to-expire contract for both garbage and recycling services.

River Birch Renewable Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Avondale-based River Birch LLC, offered the lowest price and received the highest score on its proposal, beating out IV Waste, Waste Connections and Waste Pro of Louisiana.

Though monthly bills will go up, Gretna residents will still pay slightly less than the $25.20 per month that residents in unincorporated Jefferson Parish are paying River Birch for garbage pick-up.

River Birch’s footprint has expanded significantly in recent years. In January, it began collecting garbage for roughly 113,000 customers in unincorporated Jefferson Parish and Jean Lafitte under a contract worth around $37 million-a-year. The company also penned a deal that allowed it to merge day-to-day operations at the parish landfill with its privately owned dump in nearby Waggaman.

River Birch’s footprint has expanded significantly in recent years. In January, it began collecting garbage for roughly 113,000 customers in unincorporated Jefferson Parish and Jean Lafitte under a contract worth around $37 million-a-year. The company also penned a deal that allowed it to merge day-to-day operations at the parish landfill with its privately owned dump in nearby Waggaman.

Gretna is the latest locality to see higher prices for trash pick-up after putting its contract out to bid. IV Waste took over garbage services in Harahan in January after it offered the lowest price of $19.75 per month. Still, that was four dollars higher than what residents paid Ramelli Waste under a previous contract. Kenner residents are also paying more after city officials selected Waste Pro of Louisiana after a falling out with IV Waste.

Curbside recycling ends

Unlike the existing contract, the new contract doesn’t include recycling services. Gretna Mayor Belinda Constant said the city is planning to open a drop-off site in 2025 where residents can bring recyclable materials.

The Gretna City Council made the selection at its meeting May 9. The city plans to mail out information to its roughly 7,000 households on the change in garbage haulers in the coming weeks, Constant said.

Darin “Gus” Bordelon, president of River Birch Renewable Energy, said they’re excited to get to work in Gretna.

“We think they made the right choice and are proud of the service we provide,” he said.

Courtesy : Nola.com