Dive Brief:

• The city of Aiken, SC is considering privatizing its waste services, prompting worry among the current municipal employees in the sanitation department.
• Members of the Aiken City Council proposed changes to the city’s sanitation pick-up to lower costs; the city is operating on a $700,000 deficit.
• The pilot program would contract with a local hauler- Tyler’s Sanitation and, if deemed successful, would make the shift toward complete privatization at some point in the future.

Dive Insight:

Current costs for curbside pick-up in Aiken are $8.55 per household. The cost of services through Tyler’s Sanitation are $6.90. It was reported that some employees would be given the option to transfer, but the private hauler does not offer benefits, an issue that is sparking further concern among municipal workers. A final decision about privatization has not been made at this time, as council members scrutinize operations and look into the details of the program.