Curbside recycling slated to begin in Nags Head

By Michelle Wagner

Correspondent

Nags Head residents will soon be able to have their recyclables picked up at the curb under a voluntary program slated to begin shortly after Labor Day.

Town commissioners on July 2 gave a preliminary OK to enter into a franchise agreement with Outer Banks Hauling to provide the service. The agreement is expected to formally be adopted after a second reading during the commissioners' August meeting, according to Deputy Town Manager Cliff Ogburn.

Ogburn said he expected a Sept. 2 start-up date.

Homeowners who decide to participate would pay $7.45 a month for a 90- to 98-gallon roll-out cart. The Kill Devil Hills-based hauling company would pick up commingled recyclables on a weekly basis, according to the agreement.

The town has for many years provided drop-off points for recycling, but the new program is in response to residents' requests for a curbside program, Ogburn said.

The monthly fee would remain fixed for the next three years at least, according to the agreement. The company was the lower of two bidders that submitted proposals.

"We are excited about the new program and anxious to get started," Ogburn said Friday. "My feeling is that we will get a lot of participation."

Ogburn said the town will look into the possibility of participation by rental property owners during the summer months. The Town of Kill Devil Hills entered into a similar franchise agreement with the same company this spring.

Bay Disposal, based in Hampton Roads, purchased Outer Banks Hauling last year to expand its service area to the Outer Banks. The company provides waste disposal services to residents in both Currituck and Camden counties.

The Town of Duck has a curbside recycling program in place as an option for residents. In Southern Shores, curbside recycling is mandatory.

A private company offers recycling pickup on parts of Hatteras Island.

The towns of Kitty Hawk and Manteo do not have curbside recycling, although residents can take their recyclable items to centers.