Recent action by Emporia City Commissioners won’t mean any immediate changes for solid waste and recycling hauling services in Emporia; however, changes could be possible next year.
During their regular action meeting on Wednesday, City Commissioners approved a motion to acknowledge Hamm’s Quarrie’s request for Allied Waste Systems, a subsidiary of Republic Services, to oversee the remainder of Hamm’s solid waste hauling contract with the city through the remainder of 2026. This will not mean an immediate shift in services, according to Emporia City Manager Trey Cocking, who noted this is not a changeover in process for the city, just a change in ownership for their haul handler.
That said, Cocking tells KVOE News the city will be looking at a possible change in service providers come 2027, as they will be putting the solid waste hauling contract out to bid later this year, as the current agreement is set to expire at the end of this year. Allied Waste will be able to submit a bid as part of that process and should the city go with a different provider, local residents will likely not see any noticeable changes in terms of waste pickup.
Cocking did note, however, that there could be some changes in terms of recycling depending on who is awarded the contract, as some recyclers will have different regulations or recycling requirements.
Cocking says regardless of who handles solid waste hauling in the future, the city will still be reviewing its current operations, as the upcoming bid process has prompted discussions on a deeper dive into Lyon County Transfer Station operations.
Lyon County Commissioners are set to consider similar action as their city counterparts during their regular action meeting on Thursday morning.
