Go back to contract pick up
RE: Milczyn brings forward motion to reinstate contract pickup, article July 18
Personally, I would like to see the return of Turtle Island to pick up garbage and recycling from residential, as well as businesses in Etobicoke-Lakeshore. It was more efficient than what I am seeing now. Since moving to Etobicoke in 2003, household waste, garbage and recyclable bins were emptied between 7 and 7:30 a.m. by a single manned-truck.
Since the introduction of the new system, we have had a two manned-truck pass through the neighbourhood to pick-up the household waste and then many hours later in the day we had a single manned-truck with a robotic arm empty the recyclable bins. On several occasions, in a two block stretch the driver had to physically reposition the bins before using the robotic arm. Needless to say garbage pick-up which usually lasted a few minutes now takes the better part of a day utilizing more equipment and manpower. Until we have the new garbage bins a differently manned vehicle will be require to pick-up garbage; trust that vehicle will be picking up the household waste so there no duplication of work to do the same job. If one was to look for a plus side of the robotic arm at least it does knock low hanging branches of the trees on the city boulevards.
I dread to think of the difficulty come winter when the streets are banked with snow and homeowners struggle to get the monstrous bins to the curb side for pick-up. I am also concern of the durability of these bins once they are exposed to extreme cold and how soon they begin to crack and split and homeowners are complete to purchase expensive replacements. People may be inclined to illegally dump their excess garbage in commercial and public park areas of the neighbourhood rather than buy tags.
Does the fact that residents will be able to use bags mean that operators will have exit their vehicles to pick up bags (I doubt the robotic arm can pick up plastic bags)? An arthritic senior, I would have preferred lighter recyclable colour coded water proof bags versus large unsightly bins that are onerous to manage.
This collection scheme may prove much more costly to residents in the long term.
Michael Travaline
