As there is only one sun in the sky, perhaps there should be only a single trash collector in the City of North Vancouver.
Spurred by Coun. Craig Keating, City of North Vancouver council voted unanimously July 24 to investigate the possibility of the city picking up garbage from apartments, condos, and other multi-unit buildings.
Because some neighbouring apartment buildings contract their waste collection to different companies with varying schedules, residents are disturbed by the noise of lurching garbage trucks on an almost daily basis, Keating noted.
Bringing the operation “in house” could reduce noise and traffic as well as possibly alleviating the unsightliness of garbage bins on the street, said Keating.
Keating suggested following Burnaby’s example, where the city oversees garbage collection and recycling from about 35,000 multi-family units.
Calling the motion “very progressive,” Mayor Darrell Mussatto supported Keating’s motion, suggesting trash collection could be co-ordinated with the District of North Vancouver.
“If, dare I say, we work with them,” Mussatto said.
The mayor emphasized a spirit of co-operation in waste management while making it clear he wasn’t discussing amalgamation.
Mussatto also noted several garbage bins near city hall that seem to be dumped daily, “even when they’re empty.”
But while some dumpsters get too much attention, other don’t get enough, said Coun. Rod Clark.
“I have noticed a rather ripe smell from a number of apartment buildings,” Clark said, suggesting the summer heat has compounded the somewhat sporadic garbage pickup in Moodyville.
If it’s cost-effective, Clark suggested the city also examine recycling pickup.
The idea got a bad review from frequent council watcher Ivan Leonard, who suggested council would be in for an earful over the “constant noise” of garbage trucks.
Unless “citizens start wearing earmuffs” or stop creating waste, the problem will only be addressed by barring collection trucks from lanes not designed for massive vehicles, according to Leonard.
Council is off until Sept. 11 but will likely pick up the issue of garbage collection in the fall.
