Rubatino’s recycling fee unfair to customers

An insert in my garbage bill states, “Dear Valued Customer.”

Are you like me, a Rubatino Refuse Removal customer who faithfully separates your bottles, cans and paper every week to adhere to Rubatino’s rigid recycling policy, only to be shocked when you called to question the increase in your bill?

They call us their valued customer, but have you checked your recent bill carefully? We were told they had to add a recycling surcharge of $3.43 per month, due to the collapse of the recycling market. What they neglected to say was that the $1.83 credit you have previously been receiving is no longer applicable. In actuality, it is now part of your bill, making the $3.43 surcharge $5.26 per month.

Are you also aware this recycling surcharge is a flat-rate fee, charged to each one of its 35,000 customers, regardless if you want the service or not? They do not have the capability to keep track of which customer recycles or does not. They certainly know who puts out what size garbage can, how often, and how to charge for additional garbage if it is put out for collection, yet they cannot keep track of who recycles.

Valued customer, I think not. Perhaps Rubatino can use a portion of the $2.2 million surplus they will be making off their 35,000 customers annually to modernize their tracking system.

In my opinion, something stinks here!

Pam Thomas

Everett