Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said today that the city will expand its recycling program next year to the 340,000 remaining Chicago households that lack curbside pick-up. The reason, Emanuel said, is that two private firms contracted by the Department of Streets and Sanitation, Waste Management and Metal Management Midwest, have shaved pick-up service costs for the city.

The private firms currently serve about half of the 241,000 Chicago households who already enjoy curbside recycling.

According to the Tribune, Emanuel will likely continue to use both city workers and city contractors for recycling pick-up for the time being.