With its trash-hauling contract with Waste Industries ended, the city finds itself having freedom to explore its future options.

The Waste Industries contract, which expired at the end of June, only affects the hauling of collected trash and not curbside trash pickup, which the city does on its own, Roanoke Rapids Public Works Director Larry Chalker said today.

Therefore, he explained, the county’s decision to go with Unity has no bearing on any decision the city makes on hauling, except to possibly study the success of the county’s curbside recycling program with Unity.

“We’re not going to make a change,” Chalker said of trash collection. “We own our trash trucks and containers.”

Chalker said other companies have given the city quotes on trash collection but none have been cheaper than what the city can do on its own.

Now, with the hauling contract ended, the city has the luxury of time. “We can use the (county) transfer station, we could haul to Lawrenceville. Today we hauled to Weldon (Waste Industries),” Chalker said. “We have to budget to pay for disposal service. At this point we’re not pressured to make a quick decision.”

In fact, he said, the city is paying the same price the county is offering at the transfer station.  Since the Waste Industries contract expired, the city went from $52 a ton to $44 a ton for disposal.

 “We plan to give the county some business. We’re not forced to make a rock solid decision. We don’t have to sign a contract with the county or Waste Industries.”