Skip to content

City to try out new garbage collection project

After receiving complaints about the quality and cost of the biodegradable bags that must be used for curbside compost collection the city is taking…

After receiving complaints about the quality and cost of the biodegradable bags that must be used for curbside compost collection the city is taking action.

We’re trying something new, said city engineering and environmental services manager Wayne Tuck in a letter to Porter Creek residents.

Five hundred homes in Porter Creek have been selected for a curbside, garbage-cart pilot program, in which homeowners will receive two 240-litre carts, a green one for compost and a black one for garbage.

This will avoid the need for easily torn compost bags and environmentally costly green garbage bags.

It will also protect garbage collectors’ backs, as they will no longer have to lift heavy garbage cans.

The city’s garbage trucks will be retrofitted with an automated arm that will lift the cart from the curb and dump its contents into the truck.

We have received numerous requests from residents across the city that would like to participate in the pilot project, said Tuck in his letter.

We chose a section of Porter Creek as the best location for our pilot project due to the number of carts available, the size of the neighbourhood and its proximity to the landfill.

Most of Porter Creek will be included in the year-long pilot project.

The carts will be dropped off at homeowners’ doors towards the end of May and a complete information package will be included.

You will play a crucial role in testing the system by letting us know what works for you, said Tuck in his letter.

The pilot project will run between June 2007 and May 2008, at which point the city will decide if the cart system will be implemented city-wide.