Dear Editor:
Re: Garbage Cart Rollout: Cap Resident Weighs In, May 24 Mailbox.
With the introduction of the regional requirement to separate garbage from organics and green waste, the district began a process in 2012 of reviewing our collection program.
Part of this process involved consultation with the public about their preferences, starting with an independent survey to gauge support for moving to a cart system – the prevalent collection approach in the rest of the Lower Mainland. There are a number of reasons for using carts for garbage and organics, including ease of material separation, transport and deterrence to wildlife. The majority of residents surveyed supported moving to a wheeled-cart system.
Between October 2012 and June 2015, council met six times in open workshops to consider the results of the public input and discuss cart sizes and collection frequency. Although many other municipalities have moved to biweekly collection for garbage, council elected to continue weekly collection.
The two cart sizes chosen (240 litres and 140 litres) give residents options for both garbage and organics. The opportunity to acquire additional carts is also included in the program.
While the 240-litre carts (which tend to be the standard in the region) present the potential for a slight increase in volume of garbage, this standard also reflects a potential decrease in volume of weekly yard waste. Based on collection research, this volume was deemed to be adequate for most residences. That being said, it was acknowledged that an early assessment of the program would be required during the rollout in the first zone to determine if some seasonal variation in the collection program is required.
Communications in support of the rollout included an insert in the May 2016 residential utility bill, articles in the North Shore News, ads in the North Shore News, ads on our garbage trucks and in public facilities, promotion on our website and social media channels and in our waste collection app. Detailed information is also provided to residents as the new carts are rolled out.
With the improving weather and expected increases in garden waste, staff will be closely monitoring set-out volumes across the municipality as well as public feedback, and reporting to council in June to determine what, if any, adjustments need to be made to a collection system similar to those used elsewhere in the region.
David Stuart
Chief Administrative Officer
District of North Vancouver
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
