NEW, MORE EFFICIENT WASTE COLLECTION ROUTES TO IMPROVE SERVICE & SAVINGS

Newly proposed waste collection routes will improve service, create cost savings, and reduce emissions for the collection of black garbage carts as well as green leaves and grass carts.

This is the conclusion of an update on the Efficient Waste System Project carried at City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities, and Corporate Services on September 14, 2015.

“Tracking and reporting will be improved through the use of identification tags on carts, which will be scanned when carts are emptied to verify the collection in real time,” says Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental & Corporate Initiatives. “Carts that are unable to be collected will be logged through photos taken by the truck operators.”

In 2014, 95% of the 70,000 collection carts in service received identification tags. City Administration is currently developing a plan to efficiently complete tag installation and replacement, which may include asking residents to put carts at the curb on a specific date.

“New routes and collection days, to be launched January 2016, are optimized to be more efficient by being as short and direct as possible with reduced back-tracking for trucks.”

The new system will be capable of monitoring a number of performance metrics that will improve the reliability and efficiency of City services, reduce fuel use, and reduce emissions from our fleet. Information is instantly relayed to the customer service centre to answer any inquiries.

Billing and collections for commercial garbage pick-up will also be improved through this system with onboard computers installed for operators to log all tips of commercial bins.

Residents will receive more information on the new schedules when they receive their 2016 Collection Calendar.

Increased efficiency of waste collection supports the City’s Strategic Goal of Asset and Financial Sustainability and being the best-managed city in Canada.

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