Kimble says it will provide recycling to all Hiram residents

Lyndsey Brennan/The Portager

On Monday, The Portager published a story about Hiram residents who were not receiving curbside recycling pickup from Kimble Recycling & Waste Disposal, even though they were contractually obligated to provide the service.

Yesterday, the problem was solved: Township Trustee Jack Groselle said he received a phone call from Kimble indicating that residents who are not receiving recycling services should call a customer service number to take care of the problem.

The number is 800-201-0005, extension 9402.

After the Portage County Solid Waste Management District declined to offer Hiram Township and Hiram Village recycling contracts this year, local leaders had to find their own solutions. That led to contracts with Kimble, which in turn led to a disagreement over whose recycling would be picked up.

Township leaders understood that all residential customers would receive weekly recycling pickup service, but Kimble stated that they would only service customers who were also under contract for trash service. Both Kimble and Groselle pointed to the contract they had signed.

In response to an email from The Portager, Kimble attorney Nathan Vaughan wrote that the problem affected only “10 locations” that the company understood to be commercial locations, which were not covered under the contract. 

“Kimble has reached out to the 10 locations and is in the process of resolving the confusion, and it anticipates this matter will be completely resolved in the very near future,” he stated.

In a follow-up interview, he said no residents in the Village of Hiram are affected.

Groselle said he did not know how many township residents were affected; he only could speak to the number of calls he had received.

The township’s contract with Kimble costs $6.13 a month for residential service, with annual rate hikes of at least 3%, he said. A separate fee structure is in place for would-be customers who qualify as commercial.

Inquiries to the Village of Hiram were referred to Hiram Mayor Lou Bertrand, who did not return The Portager’s request for information.

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Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.