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Rogue Disposal proposes leaf pickup Photo by Jim Craven Stepsisters Jessica Howard, 15, and Jessica Holt, 8, walk their dog, Sampson, on East Ninth Street in Medford Tuesday as bags of leaves await pickup by city crews. The city's leaf pickup program could change next year if Rogue Disposal and Recycling takes it over. Composting plan would eliminate need for yard waste bags By JIM DAVIS Medford's leaf-bagging program -- in its current form -- could be bagged by next year if a private company picks up the task. Rogue Disposal and Recycling Inc. has proposed taking over leaf collection in the city as the company begins a new composting program. "We've expressed an interest and the city has expressed an interest in seeing a proposal," said Stephen Gambee, chief executive of Rogue Disposal. The benefit to city residents would be that Rogue Disposal would prefer the leaves unbagged, because it costs extra money to empty the bags. Bagging leaves has generated gripes this fall from residents who were used to raking or blowing the leaves into city streets. Wayne Pace, Medford's public works superintendent, said the city would like to work out a deal with Rogue Disposal under which the city could offer bagged and unbagged options to city residents. "That way the city wins because the leaves are out of the gutter and the homeowner wins because they don't have to bag them if they don't want to," Pace said. Medford picked up leaves for city residents for years under the loose-leaf program. But leaves collected in ditches, gutters and streets, causing flooding and traffic problems, Pace said. Last spring, the City Council voted to require residents to bag their leaves. The program started Sept. 15 and runs through the end of this month. Pace said the program has accomplished more than city officials expected. "It really was our saving grace during this last rainstorm," he said. "In some areas, we would have had major flooding." Medford police Sgt. Bob Hansen, who heads the department's traffic division, said that keeping streets clear made it easier for motorists. But the leaf bagging program came with a few bugs. Bagging leaves was an aggravation to residents -- especially seniors and people with large yards. And, while 300 farmers have taken all of this fall's leaves for composting, the bagging program caused the city to use about 45,000 plastic, nonbiodegradable bags -- all of which are going to the county's landfills. The city would rather pay a private company to handle the chore, Pace said. Enter Rogue Disposal. The company, which has been collecting garbage in Medford for 60 years, has been talking for years about taking over leaf collection. Gambee spoke with city officials this fall about taking some of the city's leaves for his company's new composting program. Leaves, he said, help the process of composting other organic material. The disposal company is trying to comply with a statewide goal of recycling 50 percent of the city's waste by 2000. The company is at 34 percent now, Gambee said. A composting program would help the company reach the statewide goal. Next spring, the company will institute a limited composting and recycling program in a Medford neighborhood yet to be determined. The company will provide 95-gallon "roll carts" for residents in that neighborhood and pick up lawn clippings, yard debris and other "green wastes." Those will be taken to a composting facility and the compost will later be marketed and sold. If the composting program is a success, the company could expand the program to all of Medford, Gambee said, by providing "green-waste" carts citywide. Right now, Gambee said, Rogue Disposal officials are busy preparing to open a new transfer station in White City. He said he still has to come up with a proposal for the city and figure out whether it could be cost-effective. A final agreement with the city could be months away. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA