TreeHugger Recycling employee Mat Brownrigg unloads a trash can full of chip board into a recycling bin on Wednesday at the Twelfth & Haskell Recycle Center, 1146 Haskell Ave. A survey shows that most Lawrence residents want a city-operated curbside recycling program.

A majority of Lawrence residents want a city-operated curbside recycling program, a new scientific study conducted for the city found.

But the survey also indicated it was a close call whether residents were willing to pay enough in fees to cover the operating costs of a new program.

“You have a core group of people who feel very passionate about curbside recycling,” said Chris Tatham, vice president for Olathe-based ETC Institute, which conducted the survey last spring. “Your struggle probably will be whether you can afford it.”

That’s because the survey – which was based on responses from 700 households across the city – created questions about how many people were willing to pay more than $6 per month for the service.

“I think I can comfortably tell you that if it costs you more than $10 per month, it won’t be well received,” Tatham said. “If it is around $6 per month, you probably have a real home run.”

City leaders believe their costs may fall in the gray area. The cheapest option the city has studied puts the monthly fee at $9 for pickup service once every two weeks. The $9 fee would be added onto existing trash rates, regardless of whether a household used the curbside service. A weekly service would add $12 per month to current trash bills.

Members of the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board – which received the report at their Wednesday evening meeting – were mixed about the survey’s results. Some members questioned how effective the survey was in determining the maximum amount a person would pay for curbside service.

But other members said the survey could help build momentum for establishing the new service.

“We at least have some price points now,” said Sarah Hill-Nelson. “We can start really thinking about what type of system we could structure that would fit those price points.”

The survey also found a high number of Lawrence residents already recycle. Tatham said that was a strength of the city, but could create questions about how much additional recycling a curbside program would spur.

The board asked the city’s solid waste division to further refine the numbers they used to put together cost estimates for a program. That refinement, though, isn’t certain to show any savings. The city estimated diesel fuel costs at $4 per gallon when considering how much it would cost to run trash trucks for a curbside recycling program. The city already is paying more than $4 a gallon for diesel fuel.

The Sustainability Advisory Board hopes to present some recommendations to city commissioners in August.