THUNDER BAY – The city is temporarily trashing plans to remove a garbage truck from the road after the planned changes to the waste collection system were met with struggles during the initial weeks.
Beginning on July 1, city administration implemented new route optimization software that was expected to allow for the elimination of one waste collection vehicle, which was combined with a curbside collection limit reduction to two items.
But rather than improve collection, in many areas of the city curbside collection was not completed until the evening hours on the scheduled day of pickup, or in some cases even in following days.
Jason Sherband, the city’s manager of solid waste and recycling services, told council at Monday night’s meeting that the truck will be reinstated for the time being.
“During the first week of operating under the new system we did experience significant delays in service which did result in some residents’ garbage not being picked up on time,” Sherband said.
“Recognizing that is not the level of service our customers in the community expect, steps have been taken to slow that transition down.”
Eliminating the one truck and reducing the curbside item limit was projected to save the city $150,000 in costs during budget deliberations.
The changes were met with opposition from Canadian Union of Public Employees officials, who unsuccessfully lobbied council to maintain the level of service.
“Transitioning to one less truck will gradually happen over a period of time,” Sherband said. “We’ve had very productive and positive meetings with CUPE staff who have agreed to make adjustments to the transition moving forward.”
It was previously reported by tbnewswatch.com that a source confirmed sanitation workers had started to refuse to take any trash that deviates from the standards set in place by the municipality, dump their loads more frequently and not work through lunches or breaks to speed up the process. They had also been putting in for added overtime, the source said.
While the curbside collection limit was reduced, residents have the option of purchasing bag tags for $2 each – available in five-packs for $10 – to have an extra item picked up.
Sherband said more information will be collected on whether residents are following the limit, but so far so good.
“Obviously it is early on but I think with the compliance we’re seeing at the curb from three to two, we’re trending in that direction,” Sherband said. “The early signs are that we are seeing that compliance.”
