Poll shows most Tulsans approve of new trash service
BY BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer
Monday, November 12, 2012
11/12/12 at 7:02 AM
Read about Tulsa’s trash service changes.
Tulsans for the most part like the new trash and recycling system that was implemented a month ago, a new poll shows.
An Oklahoma Poll of 311 likely city voters, conducted Oct. 25 to Nov. 1, indicates 29 percent strongly approve of the service, while 26 percent somewhat approve, 14 percent were uncertain, 7 percent somewhat disapprove and 24 percent strongly disapprove.
The margin of error is plus or minus 5.56 percentage points.
Soonerpoll.com's Bill Shapard said that, since the full system only went into effect Oct 1., the approval level should grow as long as there aren't any major problems.
"We found that when people got used to changing their behavior, they ended up liking it," he said.
The city has moved from a trash system in which most people had twice-a-week service with unlimited throwaway to a system in which the basic service is once-a-week with provided carts and recycling.
For an additional service day or to discard trash or green waste in bags outside the carts costs more.
Shapard said the 24 percent that strongly disapprove of the service will be a tough group to win over.
"I think you can almost categorize some of them as people who didn't like the change to begin with," he said. "They will be harder to crack. But I think over the course of time that number will go down. Within a system, there's always nonconformists."
Wayne Boan, a poll participant, is one who thinks the new system is "terrible, just terrible."
"I'm a senior and there's so many extra costs for this with the special bags and the stickers and all of that," he said.
"We used to have great service that was twice a week, but now I have to cram a whole week's worth of garbage into that cart. I don't like it at all."
Robert Summers said his household is one divided on the new system - he likes it but his wife doesn't.
"I like that we're recycling as much as we are," he said, adding that he didn't recycle before. "It's good that we aren't throwing so much away."
Kelly Kirby said he somewhat approves of the new system.
"I like the new recycling system," he said. "It's so much better than what we had because you don't have to sort anything. It all goes into the cart."
Gerald Wooten approves of the new system and said he will continue to do so as long as the trash gets picked up.
"It's been pretty easy so far," he said.
But Donna Carson said she's not happy with the new service mainly because her house has been skipped several times.
"We never had problems like that before," she said. "I don't know why we can't just go back to what we had."
Trash
Overall, do you approve or disapprove of Tulsa's new trash and recycling system?
Approve....................................55%
Disapprove ...............................31%
Don't Know/refused...............14%
(Numbers have been rounded)
About the Oklahoma Poll
The poll of 311 likely voters was conducted by SoonerPoll.com, using a random digit dialing technique that included both cellphone and landline telephone numbers.
Interviewers collected the data Oct. 25-Nov. 1. Results were weighted by gender and phone status (cellphone only/landline only/both). The poll was sponsored by the Tulsa World.
The margin of error is plus or minus 5.56 percentage points. This poll conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. A complete description of the methodology can be found at tulsaworld.com/soonerpoll.
Original Print Headline: New system satisfactory
Brian Barber 918-581-8322
brian.barber@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
A NeWSolutions crew collects trash and recycling materials from carts on a route in the area of Yorktown Avenue near Fifth Street. MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World
Michael Gilyard operates his New Solutions automated trash truck as he collects recyclables on his route on Yorktown Avenue near Fifth Street. MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World
MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World
An automated recycling truck picks up a cart on Yorktown Avenue near Sixth Street. MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World
|
