Broomfield Garbage & Recycling Survey Draft National Research Center, Inc. 3005 30 th Street Boulder, CO 80301 tel. 303-444-7863 fax. 303-441-1145 e-mail: nrc@n-r-c.com www.n-r-c.com
Table of Contents Executive Summary... 1 Survey Background... 6 Survey Purposes... 6 Methods... 6 Understanding the Results... 6 Garbage and Recycling Behaviors... 7 Garbage Collection... 7 Recycling... 8 Garbage and Recycling Expenses... 13 Garbage and Recycling Preferences and Concerns... 15 Important Features of Garbage Collection... 15 Concerns about Garbage Collection... 17 Limiting the Number of Garbage Haulers... 19 Potential Garbage and Recycling Cost Options... 21 Preferences for Garbage and Recycling Collection... 21 Community-wide Cost Options... 23 Cost Options by District... 25 Volume-based Garbage Collection... 27 Recycling Goals... 29 Preferred Information Sources... 30 Conclusions... 32 Appendix I. Survey Respondent Demographics... 34 Appendix II: Survey Results by Demographic Subgroups... 36 Appendix III. Detailed Survey Methodology... 43 Survey Administration... 44 Data Analysis and Weighting... 45 Appendix IV. Complete Set of Frequencies... 46 Appendix V: Survey Instrument... 57
Executive Summary Survey Purposes The City and County of Broomfield hired National Research Center, Inc. to conduct a survey to explore resident opinions about garbage and recycling service and programs to help the City and County government make decisions regarding garbage and recycling collection. Survey Background and Methods Of the 1,250 surveys mailed in November 2004, 539 responded to the questionnaire giving a response rate of 45%. The margin of error is no greater than plus or minus 4 percentage points around any given percent based on community-wide estimates. Garbage Collection A strong majority of respondents (90%) said that they currently have garbage collection from their homes and 29% reported that their garbage collection or recycling services were contracted for by a homeowner s association. Those that currently have garbage collected from their homes reported that they typically put out an average of 2.3 standard-sized containers in the spring and summer months and 2.0 containers in the fall and winter. Broomfield residents responding to the survey reported that they pay, on average, $10.14 per month for garbage services and $1.02 per month for recycling services. Recycling While 45% of those responding to the survey said that they currently have curbside recycling collection at their homes, about 80% reported that they set out materials for recycling at least once a month and 18% reported that they never set out material for recycling collection. Top reasons given for not recycling at the curb were: I don t get curbside recycling service (39%) I take materials to a drop-off for free (32%) It costs more for recycling service (27%) I don t have enough garbage or recycling to warrant it (15%) My area/hoa/hauler doesn t offer curbside recycling (13%) It is not convenient (13%) 1
When asked what percentage of their household s garbage, by volume, they estimate that they are recycling on a monthly basis and (on average) how often each month they visit the recycling drop off center, 37% of respondents said that they recycle about 1% to 10% of their garbage, 22% reported that they recycle about 11% to 30% and 14% of respondents stated that they recycle more than 30% of their garbage. Approximately 27% of respondents reported that none of their household s garbage is recycled, and 50% said that they never visit the recycling drop off center. Respondents who reported recycling a higher percentage of their household s garbage per month also reported making more frequent trips to the recycling drop off center. The majority of respondents who reported recycling none of their household s garbage were residents who did not have curbside recycling collection at home. Respondents who visited the recycling drop off center more frequently were more likely to not have curbside recycling collection at home. Important Features of Garbage Collection When asked to indicate the importance of particular aspects of garbage collection, each of the listed items was rated at least somewhat important by about 50% or more of Broomfield residents: Quality of service in garbage collection (98%) Inexpensive garbage collection (98%) Being able to recycle / availability of recycling (83%) Having many materials collected for recycling (81%) Supporting free enterprise in garbage collection (77%) Having the cost of recycling built into the base fee for garbage collection (75%) Being able to choose from several garbage haulers for service (71%) Supporting small hauling businesses (74%) Having multiple garbage haulers providing service in Broomfield (67%) Being offered a Senior Citizen discount (53%) Having garbage cans carried back to your house (55%) Selecting your day of garbage collection (48%) 2
Concerns about Garbage Collection Respondents were asked to what degree, if at all, a list of garbage collection scenarios was of concern in Broomfield. At least one-third of respondent felt that each scenario was at least a moderate concern for Broomfield: Safety of trucks collecting garbage (56%) Damage to streets caused by trucks collecting garbage (53%) Garbage cans on streets on multiple days of the week (48%) Air pollution from trucks collecting garbage (47%) Too many trucks on the street collecting garbage (37%) Noise from trucks collecting garbage (35%) Respondents were given a list of possible outcomes and then asked which, if any, were reasons they would want Broomfield to limit the number of garbage haulers in the community; the percent citing each reason was: Reduced garbage fees (57%) Reduced air pollution from trucks collecting garbage (49%) Decreased number of trucks on the street collecting garbage (41%) Decreased presence of garbage cans on streets multiple days of the week (41%) Reduced noise from trucks collecting garbage (36%) Decreased damage to streets caused by trucks collecting garbage (36%) Reasons respondents would want Broomfield not to limit the number of garbage haulers in the community; the percent citing each reason was: Potential increase in garbage collection fees (66%) Requirement that you pay extra to use the garbage collection service of your choice (45%) Reduction in the choice of garbage haulers (36%) Decrease in the number of small businesses operating in Broomfield (36%) Limited new garbage hauling companies beginning service in Broomfield (20%) Restrictions on the days of garbage collection (19%) 3
Preferences for Garbage and Recycling Collection When asked to indicate the extent to which they would support or oppose a set of general garbage and recycling cost options, 67% of respondents supported using Broomfield s garbage hauling licensing system to address concerns created by the number of trucks on the street, 66% supported having the cost of recycling built into the base fee they pay for garbage collection and 40% supported a garbage fee structure where the first container of garbage set out for pick-up is part of the base fee and additional containers would cost extra. Cost Options for Garbage Collection Broomfield residents responding to the survey were asked to what extent they would support or oppose three different community-wide garbage collection cost options. Respondents expressed support for a community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company when the scenarios included a fee reduction and fewer respondents were in support of a community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if the scenario did not include a fee reduction. Respondents supported garbage collection cost options that included five separate contracts for each of the districts in Broomfield when a fee reduction was included in the scenario, but a higher percentage of respondents opposed the idea if there was no fee reduction. Volume-based Garbage Collection More than half of respondents (53%) reported that they knew nothing about pay as you throw garbage collection and 47% reported knowing at least something about it. About 60% of respondents reported that they would support a rate structure where households pay for garbage collection based on how much garbage they put out for collection if they knew it would increase the amount of material recycled in the community. Recycling Goals When asked what percentage of a recycling goal they would support for Broomfield, 15% thought that there shouldn t be a goal, about 37% felt that the goal should be 50% or higher, 8% said that the goal should be 40%, 28% thought that the recycling goal should be 30% and 18% thought that the goal should be 20% or less. 4
Preferred Information Sources The top choices of information sources for obtaining information about cleanups and garbage/recycling services were: Water bill inserts (57%) The Broomfield Enterprise (56%) Flyers at your door (40%) City Newsletter (26%) Homeowner's Association (18%) 5
Survey Background Survey Purposes The City and County of Broomfield hired National Research Center, Inc. to conduct a survey to explore resident opinions about garbage and recycling service and programs. Results will be used to help the City and County government make decisions regarding garbage and recycling collection. Methods A week after the mailing of a pre-survey notification postcard to a random sample of 1,250 households, surveys were mailed to the same residences. A reminder letter and a new survey were sent to the same households after two weeks. Of the mailed postcards, 48 were undeliverable due to vacant or not found addresses. Completed surveys were received from 539 residents, for a response rate of 45%. The results were weighted to reflect the demographic profile of all residents in Broomfield. (For more information on the survey methodology, see Appendix III.) Understanding the Results Precision of Estimates It is customary to describe the precision of estimates made from surveys by a "level of confidence" (or margin of error). The 95 percent confidence level for this survey is generally no greater than plus or minus 4 percentage points around any given percent reported for the entire sample (539 completed surveys). Putting Evaluations Onto a 100-Point Scale Although responses to many of the evaluative or frequency questions were made on 4-point scales with 1 representing the best rating, the scales had different labels (e.g. essential, not at all a concern ). To make comparisons easier, some of the results in this summary are reported on a common scale where 0 is the worst possible rating and 100 is the best possible rating. If everyone reported essential, then the result would be 100 on the 0-100 scale. The new scale can be thought of like the thermometer used to represent total giving to United Way. The higher the thermometer reading, the closer to the goal of 100 in this case, the most positive response possible. The.95 confidence interval around a score on the 0-100 scale based on all respondents typically will be no greater than plus or minus 4 points on the 100-point scale. Unless otherwise indicated, reported responses are for those who had an opinion don t know responses were removed from the analyses, but can be found in the complete set of frequencies in Appendix IV. 6
Garbage and Recycling Behaviors The first section of questions on the survey asked respondents about their current garbage and recycling behavior, their garbage and recycling expenses and how they obtain information about cleanups and garbage and recycling services. Garbage Collection Ninety percent of residents responding to the survey said that they currently have garbage collection from their homes 1. About 30% of respondents reported that their garbage collection or recycling services were contracted for by a homeowner s association. Do you currently have garbage collection from your home? Do you live in a neighborhood in which your garbage collection and/or recycling services are contracted for by a homeowner's association? Yes 90% No 10% No 71% Yes 29% Those that currently have garbage collected from their homes reported that they typically put out an average of 2.3 standard-sized containers in the spring and summer months and 2.0 containers in the fall and winter. Average Number of Containers Set Out for Weekly Collection Spring/Summer Months Fall/Winter Months 2.0 2.3 0 2 4 6 8 10 Average number of standard-sized garbage containers per week* *T his question was asked only of those respondents reporting that they currently have garbage collected from their homes. 1 Fewer respondents who reported living East of Zuni Street, between Zuni Street and Lowell Boulevard and between Lowell Boulevard and Sheridan Boulevard reported that they do not have garbage collection from their homes, about a quarter of respondents who reported living between Sheridan Boulevard and Main Street and between Main Street and US 287/Wadsworth Parkway said that they do not have garbage collection from their homes and 40% of respondents who reported living West of US 287/Wadsworth Parkway said they do not have it. 7
Recycling While 45% percent of those responding to the survey said that they currently have curbside recycling collection at their homes, about one in five (18%) of those with curbside recycling reported that they never set out material for recycling collection. Eleven percent of respondents said that they set out material for recycling collection about once a month, 44% reported doing so every other week and 26% said that they set out materials for recycling about every week. No 55% Do you currently have curbside recycling at your home? Yes 45% How often do you set out material for recycling collection? Pretty much every week, 26% Every other week or more, 44% Never, 18% About once a month, 11% 8
Respondents were asked to select primary reasons from a list of options to describe their reasons. About 40% of respondents reported that they don t have curbside recycling services, 32% said that they take their recycling to a drop-off center for free and 27% said that they don t recycle at the curb because it costs more for recycling services. Respondents were able to choose more than one reason. Primary Reasons for not Recycling at the Curb If you are not recycling at the curb, what are the primary reasons? * I don t get curbside recycling service. 39% I take materials to a drop-off for free. 32% It costs more for recycling service. 27% I don t have enough garbage or recycling to warrant it. 15% My area/hoa/hauler doesn t offer curbside recycling. 13% It is not convenient. 13% It takes more time. 9% They don t collect the items I generate. 6% I don't save money. 6% I seem to always forget. 4% Recycling is not economical. 4% Recycling wastes energy. 2% Recycling doesn t make sense in Colorado. <1% It won t make any difference anyway. <1% Other 13% *Percents total more than 100%, as respondents could give more than one answer. 9
Broomfield residents were asked what percentage of their household s garbage, by volume, they estimate that they are recycling on a monthly basis and (on average) how often each month they visit the recycling drop off center. About one-quarter of respondents (27%) reported that none of their household s garbage is recycled, and 50% said that they never visit the recycling drop-off center. Thirty-seven percent of respondents said that they recycle about 1% to 10% of their garbage, 22% reported that they recycle about 11% to 30% and 14% of respondents stated that they recycle more than 30% of their garbage. What percentage of your household's garbage do you estimate that you are recycling on a monthly basis? Eleven to thirty percent, 22% More than thirty percent, 14% One to ten percent, 37% Zero percent, 27% 10
Twenty percent of respondents reported that they visit the recycling drop-off center less than once a month, 16% said that they visit the center about once a month, 10% stated that they drop off their recycling at least every other week and fewer (3%) reported that they typically visit the drop-off center every week. (Note: Respondents who reported recycling a higher percentage of their household s garbage per month also reported making more frequent trips to the recycling drop off center.) How often each month do you visit the recycling drop off center? Never, 50% Less than once a month, 20% Pretty much every week, 3% At least every other week, 10% About once a month, 16% 11
The majority of respondents who reported recycling none of their household s garbage were residents who did not have curbside recycling collection at home. Curbside Recycling by Volume of Household Garbage Recycled Do you currently have curbside recycling collection at your home? Yes No Total 0% 12% 88% 100% What percentage of your household's garbage, 1 to 10% 50% 50% 100% by volume, do you estimate that you are 11 to 30% 69% 31% 100% recycling on a monthly basis? More than 30% 57% 43% 100% Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. Respondents who visited the recycling drop off center more frequently were more likely to not have curbside recycling collection at home. Curbside Recycling by Frequency of Trips to Drop Off Center Do you currently have curbside recycling collection at your home? Yes No Total Never 44% 56% 100% Less than once a month 64% 36% 100% On average, how often each About once a month 40% 60% 100% month do you visit the recycling At least every other week 24% 76% 100% drop off center? Pretty much every week 20% 80% 100% Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. 12
Garbage and Recycling Expenses Broomfield residents responding to the survey reported that they pay, on average, $10.14 per month for garbage services and $1.02 per month for recycling services. Average Monthly Costs for Garbage and Recycling Services Garbage Service $10.14 Recycling Service $1.02 $0.00 $10.00 $20.00 Average Monthly Costs About one in ten respondents (8%) reported that they pay nothing for garbage services (perhaps because the cost is included in homeowner s association fees or apartment lease costs), 17% said that they pay $1 to $10 per month, nearly half (46%) reported that they pay more than $10 and up to $15 monthly, 17% stated that they pay more than $15 and up to $25 per month and 12% said that they pay more than $25 per month for garbage collection services. Monthly Costs for Garbage Service About how much do you pay for garbage service? $0 8% $1 to $10 17% More than $10 up to $15 46% More than $15 up to $25 17% More than $25 12% Total 100% 13
Thirty percent of respondents reported that their monthly recycling service costs are included in their monthly garbage service costs. Of those respondents who did not say that their recycling costs were part of their garbage costs, about three-quarters (74%) said they paid nothing for recycling services (perhaps because the cost is included in homeowner s association fees or apartment lease costs or no cost is incurred because the household does not recycle any percentage of its garbage), 16% reported that they pay $1 to $3 per month, 6% said the they more than $3 and up to $5 monthly and 4% stated that they pay more than $5 per month for recycling services. Monthly Costs for Recycling Service About how much do you pay for recycling service? $0 74% $1 to $3 16% More than $3 up to $5 6% More than $5 4% Total 100% 14
Garbage and Recycling Preferences and Concerns Important Features of Garbage Collection When asked to indicate the importance of particular aspects of garbage collection, each of the listed items was rated at least somewhat important by about 50% or more of Broomfield residents. Respondents rated the quality of service as well as less expensive service as the most important features of garbage collection with ratings of 73 or 68 points, respectively, on the 100-point scale where 100 is equal to essential and zero equals not at all important. Being offered a Senior Citizen discount (32 points on the 100-point scale), having garbage cans carried back to your house (31) and selecting your day of garbage collection (24) were thought to be less important by Broomfield citizens responding to the survey. Importance of Garbage Collection Quality of service garbage collection Inexpensive garbage collection 68 73 Being able to recycle/availability of recycling Having many materials collected for recycling 56 55 Supporting free enterprise in garbage collection Having the cost of recycling built into the base fee you pay for garbage collection Being able to choose from several garbage haulers for service Supporting small hauling businesses Having multiple garbage haulers providing service in Broomfield 47 46 43 42 41 Being offered a Senior Citizen discount Having garbage cans carried back to your house 32 31 Selecting your day of garbage collection 24 0 20 40 60 80 100 Average rating (100=Essential, 0=Not at all Important) 15
Importance of Garbage Collection Essential Very important Somewhat important Not at all important Total Average rating (100=Essential, 0=Not at all Important) Quality of service in garbage collection 35% 51% 12% 2% 100% 73 Inexpensive garbage collection 30% 46% 22% 3% 100% 68 Being able to recycle / availability of recycling 28% 27% 28% 17% 100% 56 Having many materials collected for recycling 25% 34% 22% 20% 100% 55 Supporting free enterprise in garbage collection 18% 27% 32% 23% 100% 47 Having the cost of recycling built into the base fee you pay for garbage collection 17% 31% 27% 26% 100% 46 Being able to choose from several garbage haulers for service 18% 22% 31% 29% 100% 43 Supporting small hauling businesses 12% 28% 34% 26% 100% 42 Having multiple garbage haulers providing service in Broomfield 16% 20% 31% 32% 100% 41 Being offered a Senior Citizen discount 12% 18% 23% 47% 100% 32 Having garbage cans carried back to your house 10% 17% 28% 44% 100% 31 Selecting your day of garbage collection 5% 15% 28% 52% 100% 24 16
Concerns about Garbage Collection When asked to what degree, if at all, a list of garbage collection scenarios was of concern in Broomfield, respondents reported that noise from trucks collecting garbage and having too many trucks on the street collecting garbage were only minor concerns; each received an average rating of 62 points on the 100-point scale where 100 is equal to not at all a concern and zero is equal to major concern. The safety of trucks and damage to streets caused by collection trucks were of more concern to Broomfield respondents, receiving 45 and 48 points on the 100-point scale, respectively. Concerns About Garbage Collection Noise from trucks collecting garbage Too many trucks on the street collecting garbage 62 62 Garbage cans on streets on multiple days of the week Air pollution from trucks collecting garbage Damage to streets caused by trucks collecting garbage Safety of trucks 53 52 48 45 Other 40 0 20 40 60 80 100 Average rating (100=Not at all a concern, 0=Major concern) 17
Respondent Concerns About Garbage Collection Not at all a concern Minor concern Moderate concern Major concern Total Average rating (100=Not at all a concern, 0=Major concern) Noise from trucks collecting garbage 37% 28% 19% 16% 100% 62 Too many trucks on the street collecting garbage 38% 25% 20% 17% 100% 62 Garbage cans on streets on multiple days of the week 29% 23% 25% 23% 100% 53 Air pollution from trucks collecting garbage 22% 31% 27% 20% 100% 52 Damage to streets caused by trucks collecting garbage 21% 26% 31% 22% 100% 48 Safety of trucks collecting garbage 20% 24% 28% 28% 100% 45 Other 30% 4% 20% 45% 100% 40 18
Limiting the Number of Garbage Haulers Respondents were asked reasons why they would and would not want the number of garbage haulers limited in Broomfield. Respondents were given a list of possible outcomes and then asked which, if any, were reasons they would want Broomfield to limit the number of garbage haulers in the community. Survey respondents could select multiple options. A change in garbage fees was one of the top reasons for whether or not respondents would want the number of garbage haulers limited in the City and County. Nearly 60% chose reduced garbage fees as one of the top reasons for limiting the number of garbage haulers in the community. About half of respondents (49%) said that reduced air pollution from garbage trucks was one of the top reasons for limiting the number of trucks. About four in ten respondents felt that decreasing the number of trucks on the street (41%) and a decreased presence of garbage cans on streets on multiple days of the week (41%) were reasons to limit the number of haulers in the community. Approximately one-third of respondents said that reducing noise from collection trucks (36%) and decreasing damage to streets (36%) were reasons to limit the number of garbage haulers. Reasons to Limit the Number of Garbage Haulers Reduced garbage fees Reduced air pollution from trucks collecting garbage Decreased number of trucks on the street collecting garbage Decreased presence of garbage cans on streets multiple days of the week Reduced noise from trucks collecting garbage Decreased damage to streets caused by trucks collecting garbage 57% 49% 41% 41% 36% 36% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 19
When asked which of the listed outcomes, if any, were reasons they would want Broomfield not to limit the number of garbage haulers in the community, two-thirds of respondents (66%) mentioned that a potential increase in garbage collection fees would be a reason not to limit the number of haulers in the community, while 45% felt that requiring them to pay extra to use the garbage collection service of their choice would be a reason they would not want to limit garbage haulers. About one-third of respondents selected reducing the choice of garbage haulers (36%) and decreasing the number of small businesses operating in Broomfield (36%) also were reasons not to limit garbage haulers in the City. About 20% of respondents felt that limiting new garbage hauling companies in Broomfield and restrictions on the days of collection also were reasons not to limit garbage haulers in the community. Respondents were able to select more than one reason. Reasons NOT to Limit the Number of Garbage Haulers Potential increase in garbage collection fees 66% Requirement that you pay extra to use the garbage collection service of your choice Decreased number of trucks on the street collecting garbage Reduction in the choice of garbage haulers 36% 36% 45% Decrease in the number of small businesses operating in Broomfield Restrictions on the days of garbage collection 20% 19% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 20
Potential Garbage and Recycling Cost Options Preferences for Garbage and Recycling Collection Respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which they would support or oppose a set of general garbage and recycling cost options. Higher costs appeared to be a deciding factor for Broomfield respondents. About two-thirds of residents responding to the survey supported using Broomfield s garbage hauling licensing system to address concerns created by the number of trucks on the street as well as having the cost of recycling built into the base fee they pay for garbage collection, while fewer respondents (40%) supported a garbage fee structure where the first container of garbage set out for pick-up is part of the base fee and additional containers would cost extra. (Appendix IV includes the complete set of frequencies for this question, including don t know responses. A high percentage of respondents reported that they did not know whether they supported or opposed using Broomfield s garbage hauling licensing system to address concerns created by the number of trucks on the street.) Support for or Opposition to Service Changes Using Broomfield's garbage hauling licensing system to address concerns created by the number of trucks on the street 33% 67% Having the cost of recycling built into the base fee you pay for garbage collection (all households pay) A garbage fee structure where the first container of garbage set out for pick-up is part of the base fee and additional containers, if any, cost extra (Pay as you throw) 34% 40% 60% 66% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Support Oppose 21
Support for or Opposition to Potential Garbage Collection Cost Scenarios Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Total Having the cost of recycling built into the base fee you pay for garbage collection (all households pay) 34% 31% 15% 20% 100% A garbage fee structure where the first container of garbage set out for pick-up is part of the base fee and additional containers, if any, cost extra (Pay as you throw) 16% 24% 18% 42% 100% Using Broomfield's garbage hauler licensing system to address concerns created by the number of trucks on the street 19% 48% 15% 19% 100% 22
Community-wide Cost Options Broomfield residents responding to the survey were asked to what extent they would support or oppose three different community-wide garbage collection cost options. Respondents expressed support for a community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company when the scenarios included a fee reduction. About three-quarters of respondents (74%) reported support for a community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was more than a 15% fee reduction and just over half (56%) supported a community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was a 1-15% fee reduction. Fewer respondents (27%) were in support of a community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company with no fee reduction. Support for or Opposition to Community-wide Contract Options Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was more than a 15% fee reduction 26% 74% Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was a 1-15% fee reduction Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was no fee reduction 27% 44% 56% 73% Support Oppose 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 23
Support for or Opposition to Potential Community-Wide Contract Options Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Total Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was more than a 15% fee reduction 44% 31% 8% 18% 100% Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was a 1-15% fee reduction 14% 42% 18% 26% 100% Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was no fee reduction 10% 17% 21% 52% 100% 24
Cost Options by District When asked to what extent they would support or oppose garbage collection cost options that included five separate contracts for each of the districts in Broomfield, about six in ten respondents supported having contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there would be more than a 5% fee reduction, while a strong majority (78%) opposed this idea if no fee reduction were to occur. Opposition was more balanced if the reduction in garbage collection fees would be 1% to 5%. Support for or Opposition to Contracts for 5 Separate Districts Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was more than a 5% fee reduction 37% 63% Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was a 1-5% fee reduction Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was no fee reduction 22% 46% 54% 78% Support Oppose 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 25
Support for or Opposition to Potential Contracts for 5 Separate Districts Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Total Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was more than a 5% fee reduction 23% 41% 14% 22% 100% Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was a 1-5% fee reduction 8% 38% 23% 32% 100% Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was no fee reduction 6% 16% 23% 54% 100% 26
Volume-based Garbage Collection Pay as you throw or volume-based garbage collection is a rate structure where households pay for trash collection based on how much trash they put out for collection. Broomfield respondents were asked how familiar they were with pay as you throw or volume-based systems for garbage collection and then if they would support it. More than half of respondents (53%) reported that they knew nothing about pay as you throw garbage collection and 47% reported knowing at least something about it. How familiar are you with "Pay as you throw" or volume-based systems for garbage collection? I know nothing 53% I am completely familiar 16% I know something 31% 27
When asked if they would support a rate structure where households pay for garbage collection based on how much garbage they put out for collection if you knew it would increase the amount of material recycled in the community, about six in ten respondents (59%) said that they would support the idea. Would you support a rate structure where households pay for garbage collection based on how much garbage they put out for collection if you knew it would increase the amount of material recycled in the community? No 41% Yes 59% 28
Recycling Goals Respondents were told that the current rate of recycling in Colorado is less than 10% and that some communities in Colorado (and many nationwide) have recycling rates of 50% or more. The survey stated that the communities that reach higher recycling goals do so using a variety of techniques, including those under consideration in Broomfield, and that many communities (including Broomfield) have no established recycling goal. Considering this information, respondents were asked what percentage of a recycling goal they would support for Broomfield. While 15% of respondents thought that there shouldn t be a goal, about 37% felt that the goal should be 50% or higher. Eight percent of respondents said that the goal should be 40%, 28% thought that the recycling goal should be 30% and 18% thought that the goal should be 20% or less. Would you support a recycling goal for Broomfield of: Fifty percent or more, 32% There should be no goal, 15% Ten percent or less, 3% Forty percent, 8% Thirty percent, 28% Twenty percent, 15% 29
Preferred Information Sources Citizens completing the survey were asked to select from a list of information sources the three best ways they obtain information about cleanups and garbage and recycling services. Water bill inserts, the Broomfield Enterprise and getting flyers at their door were among the top preferences of sources for obtaining information about cleanups and garbage and recycling services by 40% or more of respondents. About one-quarter of residents responding to the survey reported that the City Newsletter was a top source of information and 18% of respondent said that they get information from their Homeowner s Association. (The chart below illustrates respondents top choices of information sources; the table on the following page lists results for all information sources.) Preferred Information Sources Water bill inserts 57% Broomfield Enterprise 56% Flyers at your door 40% City Newsletter 26% Homeowner's Association 18% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 30
Preferred Information Sources What are the best 3 ways to inform you about cleanups, garbage or recycling service? Percent of Respondents* Water bill inserts 57% Broomfield Enterprise 56% Flyers at your door 40% City Newsletter 26% Homeowner's Association 18% Broomfield Web site 14% Broomfielder Magazine 13% Signs on the side of the road 13% Email 10% Rocky Mountain 8% Denver Post 6% Channel 8 government cable TV 6% Radio station (specify) 4% The Daily Camera 3% Flyers at stores, etc. 3% Block leaders, neighbors 1% Phone tree 1% Other suggestions 2% *Percents total more than 100%, as respondents could give more than one answer. 31
Conclusions Trash and Recycling Use In general, Broomfield residents are putting out an average of 2 standard-sized containers of trash per week throughout the year. Close to half of the respondents reported having curbside recycling and the vast majority of those residents said that they recycle at the curb at least once a month. Different recycling behaviors between those with curbside recycling and those without suggest that providing curbside recycling to all residents could increase the frequency and/or volume of recycling in the community. (One-third of residents believed that Broomfield s recycling goal should be 50% or more, about half thought the goal should be 20% to 40%, 3% supported a goal of 10% or less and 15% believed that there should be no goal.) Quality and Cost of Service Respondents emphasized the importance of the quality and cost of garbage and recycling service. These factors were the most important, and outweighed other potential priorities. In considering reasons why they would and would not want the number of garbage haulers limited in Broomfield, cost emerged again as the most cited issue for residents. Support for limiting haulers was contingent on there being at least some savings. Small savings were less compelling to respondents. In general, the higher the savings, the more residents supported limits. Residents first opposed a pay as you throw scenario (40% support/60% opposition) that suggested additional cost for each container, without an explanation of recycling costs. However, a later pay as you throw scenario, which offered unlimited recycling and the expectation that recycling would increase in the community, yielded more support than opposition (59% vs. 41%). This suggests that recycling may be a salient issue and that the later scenario may have won supporters due to the mention of no-additional-cost recycling. This may be underscored by residents opinion that recycling costs should be rolled into the base fee for garbage collection. About two-thirds of residents responding to the survey supported using Broomfield s garbage hauling licensing system to address concerns created by the number of trucks on the street. 32
Spreading the Message Whichever options the City and County pursues, residents expressed interest in receiving information primarily through a few sources. At least four in 10 respondents said that water bill inserts, the Broomfield Enterprise and getting flyers at their door were preferred sources of information about cleanups and garbage and recycling services. While water bill inserts were popular among respondents, Broomfield is encouraged to utilize additional methods of communication, as water bills may be less likely to reach renters and those in multi-family dwellings. 33
Appendix I. Survey Respondent Demographics The following tables illustrate the respondent demographics for the Broomfield Garbage and Recycling Survey. Respondent Length of Residency 5 years or less 6 to 20 years 21 years or more Total Length of Residency 47% 37% 17% 100% Number of Persons per Respondent Household 1 to 2 household members 3 to 6 household members 7 or more household members Total Number of Persons in Household 53% 46% 1% 100% Respondent Housing Unit Type Detached Attached Total Attached or Detached 78% 22% 100% Respondent Tenure Rent Own Total Rent or Own 23% 77% 100% 34
Location of Residence Between Do you live East of Zuni Street Between Zuni Street and Lowell Boulevard Lowell Boulevard and Sheridan Boulevard Between Sheridan Boulevard and Main Street Between Main Street and US 287/ Wadsworth Parkway West of US 287/ Wadsworth Parkway Total 0% 19% 20% 23% 26% 13% 100% Respondent Age 18-34 35-54 55+ Total Respondent Age 34% 48% 18% 100% Respondent Gender Female Male Total Sex of Respondent 51% 49% 100% 35
Appendix II: Survey Results by Demographic Subgroups Selected survey results were examined by demographic subgroups. In the tables on the following pages, differences between demographic subgroups that are statistically significant, that is, where there is less than a 5% probability that the differences observed are due to chance alone, are shaded gray. Question 10 by Housing Unit Type, Tenure and Length of Residency Attached or Rent or Detached Own Detached Attached Total Rent Own Total Length of Residency 5 21 years 6 to years or 20 or less years more Total Never 75% 25% 100% 28% 72% 100% 53% 35% 12% 100% Less than once a month 86% 14% 100% 14% 86% 100% 42% 32% 27% 100% About once On average, a month 82% 18% 100% 25% 75% 100% 41% 41% 18% 100% how often each month do you At least every other week 80% 20% 100% 12% 88% 100% 35% 52% 13% 100% visit the recycling drop off center? Pretty much every week 81% 19% 100% 15% 85% 100% 37% 33% 30% 100% Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. 36
Question 10 by Location of Residence Do you live Between East of Zuni Street Between Zuni Street and Lowell Boulevard Lowell Boulevard and Sheridan Boulevard Between Sheridan Boulevard and Main Street Between Main Street and US 287/Wadsworth Parkway West of US 287/Wadsworth Parkway Total Never 0% 22% 24% 20% 23% 11% 100% Less than once a month 0% 23% 14% 28% 18% 16% 100% About once On average, a month 0% 16% 19% 24% 31% 11% 100% how often each month do you At least every other week 0% 10% 12% 28% 39% 12% 100% visit the recycling drop off center? Pretty much every week 0% 4% 20% 19% 21% 35% 100% Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. Note: none in this table. 37
Question 11 by Housing Unit Type and Tenure Attached or Detached Rent or Own Detached Attached Rent Own Quality of service in garbage collection 74 70 71 74 Inexpensive garbage collection 69 63 63 69 Being able to recycle / availability of recycling 53 66 64 53 Being able to choose from several garbage haulers for service 44 37 39 44 Having multiple garbage haulers providing service in Broomfield 40 43 41 41 Having the cost of recycling built into the base fee you pay for garbage collection 44 57 52 45 Having many materials collected for recycling 52 65 63 52 Selecting your day of garbage collection 24 24 26 24 Supporting small hauling businesses 43 37 40 43 Supporting free enterprise in garbage collection 47 47 47 47 Having garbage cans carried back to your house 31 30 28 32 Being offered a Senior Citizen discount 32 33 34 31 Average Rating (100=Essential, 0=Not at all important") Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. Question 11a and Question 11b by Housing Unit Type, Tenure and Length of Residency Length of Residency 5 years or less 6 to 20 years 21 years or more Quality of service in garbage collection 69 76 79 Inexpensive garbage collection 65 71 67 Average Rating (100=Essential, 0=Not at all important) Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. 38
Question 11a and Question 11b by Location of Residence Do you live Between Between Lowell Between East Zuni Boulevard Sheridan Between Main of Street and and Boulevard Street and US West of US Zuni Lowell Sheridan and Main 287/Wadsworth 287/Wadsworth Street Boulevard Boulevard Street Parkway Parkway Quality of service in garbage collection 100 75 72 75 72 71 Inexpensive garbage collection 100 73 65 67 67 70 Average Rating (100=Essential, 0=Not at all important) Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. Note: none in this table. Question 13 by Housing Unit Type and Tenure Attached or Detached* Rent or Own* Detached Attached Rent Own Having the cost of recycling built into the base fee you pay for garbage collection (all households pay) 64% 75% 70% 65% A garbage fee structure where the first container of garbage set out for pick-up is part of the base fee and additional containers, if any, cost extra (Pay as you throw) 34% 63% 55% 36% Using Broomfield's garbage hauler licensing system to address concerns created by the number of trucks on the street 62% 89% 79% 64% * Reporting "Somewhat or Strongly Support" Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. 39
Question 14 by Housing Unit Type and Tenure Attached or Detached* Rent or Own* Detached Attached Rent Own Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was more than a 15% fee reduction 73% 78% 78% 73% Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was a 1-15% fee reduction 55% 60% 56% 56% Community-wide contract for garbage collection with one company if there was no fee reduction 26% 29% 33% 25% * Reporting "Somewhat or Strongly Support" Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. Note: none in this table. Question 15 by Housing Unit Type and Tenure Attached or Detached* Rent or Own* Detached Attached Rent Own Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was more than a 5% fee reduction 61% 73% 70% 62% Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was a 1-5% fee reduction 44% 54% 49% 44% Contracts for 5 separate districts for garbage collection with one company if there was no fee reduction 20% 34% 29% 21% * Reporting "Somewhat or Strongly Support" Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. 40
Question 19 by Housing Unit Type, Tenure and Length of Residency Attached or Detached Rent or Own Length of Residency 21 Detached Attached Total Rent Own Total 5 years or less 6 to 20 years years or more Total Would you support a rate structure where households pay for garbage collection based on how much garbage they put out for collection (including unlimited recycling collection) if you knew it would increase the amount of material recycled in the community? Yes No 74% 89% 26% 11% 100% 100% 28% 17% 72% 83% 100% 100% 55% 40% 35% 38% 10% 22% 100% 100% Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. 41
Question 19 by Location of Residence Do you live East of Zuni Street Between Zuni Street and Lowell Boulevard Between Lowell Boulevard and Sheridan Boulevard Between Sheridan Boulevard and Main Street Between Main Street and US 287/Wadsworth Parkway West of US 287/Wadsworth Parkway Total Would you support a rate structure where households pay for garbage collection based on how much garbage they put out for collection (including unlimited recycling collection) if you knew it would increase the amount of material recycled in the community? Yes No 0% 0% 20% 19% 17% 26% 26% 20% 19% 25% 18% 9% 100% 100% Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. 42
Question 20 by Housing Unit Type and Tenure Attached or Detached Rent or Own Detached Attached Total Rent Own Total 10% or less 31% 69% 100% 52% 48% 100% 20% 89% 11% 100% 17% 83% 100% 30% 80% 20% 100% 17% 83% 100% 40% 66% 34% 100% 42% 58% 100% Would you support a 50% or more 74% 26% 100% 26% 74% 100% recycling goal for Broomfield of There should be no goal 89% 11% 100% 19% 81% 100% Cells shaded in grey indicate that the differences between demographic subgroups are statistically significant. 43
Appendix III. Detailed Survey Methodology Survey Administration Approximately 1,250 households were randomly selected to participate in the survey using. An individual within each household was selected using the birthday method 1. Households received three mailings during November 2004. The first was a postcard notifying them they had been selected to participate in the Broomfield Citizen Survey. The postcard was signed by the Mayor. A week later a survey was mailed with a cover letter signed by the Mayor. Approximately one week after the first survey was mailed, a second survey was mailed, with a cover letter asking those who had not yet participated to do so, while informing those who had already completed the survey not to do so again. Of the 1,250 households to which surveys were delivered, 539 completed the survey, providing a response rate of 45%. Typically response rates for citizen surveys administered by mail range between 25% and 40%. Approximately 4% of addresses sampled were vacant or not found. It is customary to describe the precision of estimates made from surveys by a level of confidence (or margin of error). The 95 percent confidence level for this survey is generally no greater than plus or minus 4 percentage points around any given percent reported. The confidence intervals are larger around estimates for subgroups. 1 The birthday method selects a person within the household by asking the "person whose birthday has most recently passed" to complete the questionnaire. The underlying assumption in this method is that day of birth has no relationship to the way people respond to surveys. 44
Data Analysis and Weighting The surveys were analyzed using a statistical software package. The demographic characteristics of the sample were compared to population norms for the City and County of Broomfield and were statistically adjusted to reflect the larger population when necessary. The largest differences in opinion were found among Broomfield residents of different gender, age and tenure. Consequently, sample results were weighted using the population norms to reflect the appropriate percent of residents by gender, age and tenure in the Broomfield population. Other socio-demographic variables were also adjusted through the weighting as many of these characteristics are correlated. The results of the weighting scheme are presented in the following table. Weighting Scheme for the City and County of Broomfield Garbage and Recycling Survey Respondent Population Unweighted Weighted Characteristics Norm* Data Data Tenure Rent Home 23% 12% 23% Own Home 77% 88% 77% Type of Housing Unit Single-Family Detached 73% 87% 78% Attached 27% 13% 22% Sex Female 50% 54% 51% Male 50% 46% 49% Age 18-34 years of age 34% 17% 34% 35-54 years of age 48% 51% 48% 55+ years of age 18% 32% 18% Sex by Age Females 18-34 years of age 17% 11% 17% Females 35-54 years of age 24% 28% 24% Females 55+ years of age 10% 15% 10% Males 18-34 years of age 17% 6% 17% Males 35-54 years of age 24% 23% 24% Males 55+ years of age 8% 17% 8% * Source: 2000 Census 45