Not a pilot project

Bent urges council to be flexible as Town moves toward automated garbage collection

CBS council has approved the purchase of $621,000 worth of plastic garbage bins as part of its move toward automated waste collection.

The carts are being bought from IPL Inc., a large North American plastics manufacturer. The price includes HST. The carts are designed so that they can be picked up by a hydraulic arm extending from a garbage truck and dumped into its hold, saving on human contact with the trash, and worker injuries.

“These carts are for phase 1 of our automated garbage collection starting in the fall,” said engineering and public works committee chairman Gerard Tilley. “I want to point out too that I’ve been hearing a lot of stuff on social media that a lot of people are calling this a pilot project. This is not a pilot project, it’s guaranteed; automated garbage collection is coming, it’s just that we’re going to phase it in over the next few years.”

Ward 1 councillor Darrin Bent reiterated that message, but also called on council to be understanding with residents who experience problems adjusting to the change.

“I hope that as a council and as a Town and staff that we’re cognizant of issues that may face some of our residents with regards to these garbage boxes,” said Bent. “Not everything is equal, as we know, and the town has a number of geographic areas and I hope that we are able to offer information and that we’re not too big to ignore real concerns that may impact someone’s ability to do what they are doing now, because at the end of the day we want to make sure that stuff is picked up and disposed of properly. So, I hope that when the concerns come in you give them a good look over. In legitimate cases there may be something we can do to help the resident ease in to the new program. Because it’s here now and October is not that far away. It will be on us before we know it.”