Last year the Department of Public Works (DPW) instituted a Recycling Cart Set-Out Pilot Program in various areas throughout the city. Most of the 9th Aldermanic District was part of the Pilot Program that involved guaranteed recycling collection days with residents setting their recycling carts at the curb on those days.

When the Pilot Program ended in November 2006, the Department of Public Works conducted a survey of the residents who were part of the program. They also asked for feedback on the program and for insights about how the program might be improved. Nearly 7,000 households in the program's areas responded.

As an incentive to return the survey, three of the responding households were drawn at random and awarded a $100 VISA gift card that was provided by Waste Management. Two of the 3 winners were residents of the 9th Aldermanic District – Dan and Pam Muencheberg and Greg and Rosanne Conard.

87% of those responding indicated that they would be pleased to participate in similar recycling set out program in the future. More than half those responding liked the guaranteed collection day and the fact that it helped to make recycling collection more efficient. There were also comments that it was sometimes difficult to remember the collection day and that recyclables should be collected more often.

The Department of Public Works plans to use the pilot program data and the survey results to help frame, design, and ultimately implement an improved curbside collection program for the future to the benefit of the City and its residents.