Green bill ups trash-bin fees

City Councilman Bill Green today plans to introduce legislation that would raise fees and add high-tech tags to trash bins - commonly known as Dumpsters - to make it easier for the city to check up on owners.

"It's like finding cash in the trash," said Green, who estimated that the city could gain more than $2 million in annual revenue through the new fee structure.

Fees now range from a one-time fee of $50 for a private trash bin placed in a parking lot or back alley, a $300 annual fee for a private container in a public street or a $60 annual fee for a construction-site container in a public street.

Green's bill would raise fees to between $80 and $800 annually for lot and alley bins, and from $300 to $1,250 for those the street. The size of the bin would determine the exact charge.

"This really will have a twofold effect: It will increase revenue for the city, which we desperately need at this time, but it also will improve quality of life," Green said.

Co-sponsors on the legislation include Council members Curtis Jones Jr., Maria Quinones-Sanchez, Bill Greenlee, Jack Kelly, Blondell Reynolds Brown, Frank Rizzo and Donna Reed Miller. Councilman Frank DiCicco, who had been exploring similar legislation, will also sign on.

Chicago raised trash-bin fees last fall, drawing criticism from merchants and business groups. That city is also planning to use electronic tags on bins.

The proposed electronic medallions would be stuck on the bins and would contain data about the bin's license. Inspectors could check the medallions with high-tech guns that could pull up the information instantly.

Green said a new monitoring system will make it easier to check that all trash bins are properly registered.

He questioned whether all Philadelphia bins are on the books.

About 2,200 licensed trash bins are in Philadelphia, according to information provided to Green's office by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. *