Under the terms of the agreement, the city would be required to pay based on the market rate of the materials, minus the processing costs. If that number is negative, then the city pays, but if it is positive, then the city can earn extra money, Assistant City Manager Billy Tyus said.

Those cash amounts are capped under the agreement, with the maximum amount the city could spend being $15 per ton, capped at a maximum of 325 tons per month. Conversely, if the recycling market recovers and the value of materials increases, the city can earn up to $10 per ton.