Work is underway for a study analyzing solid waste services, such as trash and bulky item collection, in Richardson.

Scott Pasternak, associate and senior project manager for consulting firm Burns and McDonnell, said his firm have been working on updating the city’s Solid Waste Master Plan since October in a briefing held during the Dec. 18 council work session. The update was presented to Richardson City Council as staff works to address recently adopted goals and tactics for the 2023-25 council term.

The overview

Pasternak said the first phase of the study will analyze the current system, while the second phase of the study will identify strategies and options to prepare the system for the future. The goal of the study is to create a 20-year strategy for implementation and funding of the system in the short-, medium- and long-term.

“We are very much in the beginning stages of this work,” Pasternak said.


Director of Public Services Eric Robison said the master plan is used to evaluate and review several facets of service, including:
  • Existing collection routes
  • Staffing levels
  • Drive time to disposal facilities
  • Levels of service
The context

Residential collection in Richardson occurs twice per week with no limit on the number of bags collected, Robison said. Brush and bulky item collection is also offered once per week for residential customers but it must be scheduled.

Recycling is collected once weekly, and commercial is collected daily, Robison said. Richardson currently contracts the North Texas Municipal Water District to provide processing for trash collection, Republic Services for recycling collection, Dallas County Home Chemical Collection Center for household hazardous waste, and the city of Plano and Texas Pure for compostable waste.

Quote of note


“We may end up with the same system moving forward, but we’ll at least understand the costs moving forward to operate that system,” City Manager Don Magner said.

What’s next?

Pasternak said that his firm is planning to conduct a customer survey as part of the information-gathering process along with hosting a public open house to solicit feedback from the public in 2024. Work on updating the Solid Waste Master Plan is expected to last until January 2025.