Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
As the Omaha City Council determines whether it will approve or reject a new contract for the city's recycling processing, some residents and recycling advocates said giving the candidate supported by the mayor's office the contract could be a mistake.
NebraskaLand Recycling LLC wants the council's approval to become Omaha's new recycling processing contractor for the next 10 years.
Mayor Jean Stothert came to Tuesday's meeting and gave her a vote of confidence for NebraskaLand. The company submitted a bid for around $2.28 million, which would result in a final contract amount of roughly $23 million.
By comparison, FirstStar Recycling submitted a bid for $3.555 million per year, and Waste Management submitted its bid for $3.65 million. Stothert said these two proposed bids were too expensive and that the city's finance and public works department both vetted NebraskaLand.
Recycling advocates and representatives from FirstStar said whoever becomes the city's processor needs to watch out for problems that will make processing more expensive like wet paper attaching to containers and plastics.
NebraskaLand Recycling LLC owner Lance Brown said his facility can handle wet cardboard as part of its commercial recycling operation without major setbacks.
"I think we provide a great opportunity for the city to continue the current recycling process... (we can) save over 500,000 taxpayers in this city $1.3 million a year for the exact same process that's going on today," Brown said.
Other opponents said NebraskaLand's inexperience with residential recycling will not serve the company well when dealing with wet fiber.
"We are about to give a young and inexperienced company $23 million for a reduction in services and jeopardize the city's recycling program. Quality comes at a price and Omaha's gonna get what it pays for," citizen Scott Blake said.
Council members will have the opportunity to vote for or against the proposed contract Tues. Oct. 6 for the third and final reading.
If approved, NebraskaLand would now have to coordinate with the city's new recycling collection contractor, FCC Environmental.
As the Omaha City Council determines whether it will approve or reject a new contract for the city's recycling processing, some residents and recycling advocates said giving the candidate supported by the mayor's office the contract could be a mistake.
NebraskaLand Recycling LLC wants the council's approval to become Omaha's new recycling processing contractor for the next 10 years.
Mayor Jean Stothert came to Tuesday's meeting and gave her a vote of confidence for NebraskaLand. The company submitted a bid for around $2.28 million, which would result in a final contract amount of roughly $23 million.
By comparison, FirstStar Recycling submitted a bid for $3.555 million per year, and Waste Management submitted its bid for $3.65 million. Stothert said these two proposed bids were too expensive and that the city's finance and public works department both vetted NebraskaLand.
Recycling advocates and representatives from FirstStar said whoever becomes the city's processor needs to watch out for problems that will make processing more expensive like wet paper attaching to containers and plastics.
NebraskaLand Recycling LLC owner Lance Brown said his facility can handle wet cardboard as part of its commercial recycling operation without major setbacks.
"I think we provide a great opportunity for the city to continue the current recycling process... (we can) save over 500,000 taxpayers in this city $1.3 million a year for the exact same process that's going on today," Brown said.
Other opponents said NebraskaLand's inexperience with residential recycling will not serve the company well when dealing with wet fiber.
"We are about to give a young and inexperienced company $23 million for a reduction in services and jeopardize the city's recycling program. Quality comes at a price and Omaha's gonna get what it pays for," citizen Scott Blake said.
Council members will have the opportunity to vote for or against the proposed contract Tues. Oct. 6 for the third and final reading.
If approved, NebraskaLand would now have to coordinate with the city's new recycling collection contractor, FCC Environmental.
