Garbage collection guidelines change
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on May 20, 2015 1:46 PM
When it comes to garbage trucks, it's out with the old and in with the new -- rules and regulations included.
As automated garbage trucks are implemented throughout the city, updates to routes and rules regarding placement of garbage bins are set to be implemented beginning June 1.
Perhaps the biggest change is how garbage cans will need to be placed.
Bins will need to be placed curb side with 3 feet of space in every direction.
This is due to the size of the arm lever on the automated garbage trucks, said Public Works director Jose Martinez.
"The arms are just bigger, so they need to allow more space to operate them," Martinez said. "What I do at my house on recycling days is place my trash bin on one side of my driveway, at least 3 feet away from my mailbox, and then my recycling bin on the other side so I know there will be plenty of room."
To view updated pickup routes that will begin on June 1, citizens can go to the public works website at http://refuse.goldsboronc.gov/index.php.
Martinez said not to panic if your garbage is not picked up at the same time as it previously was. Even if the day it is collected does not change, the time of day could change.
Martinez said if your neighbors' garbage has been picked up by the end of the day and yours hasn't, call public works at 919-734-8674 and your garbage will be collected.
"Our guys are learning the routes, too, so we might mess up and miss a few bins," Martinez said. "If we do, it's nothing personal. Just call us and we'll come back and get it."
Changes are also coming to bulk item pickups and leaf and limb collection.
"Summer clean-up is no more," Martinez said. "What we're doing now is we're doing it year-round. What summer clean-up was is that people could put out bulky items like the old refrigerator they've had in the back of their garage for a year, and we would come and collect it. Now we do that year-round, but you have to call ahead if you want us to pick it up for you so we can make sure we'll have capacity to pick it up. Don't just put it out on the curb because we might not be able to get it."
Leaf and limb collection used to only accept limbs that were up to 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long. Now, Martinez said, the city will be able to collect limbs that are up to 12 inches in diameter and 6 feet long.
Leaves and limbs should be separated into two separate piles and put by the curb to be collected.
Public works is also making a push to encourage recycling throughout the city.
Recycling is not only good for the environment, Martinez said, but it saves taxpayers money because it saves the city money.
"When we take the trash to the dump, they charge us a tipping fee, and we have to pay to get rid of that," Martinez said. "When we take recycling to the recycling center -- we use Kemp's Recycling -- they actually pay us to recycle, so it saves everybody money."
Recycling also curbs requests for more garbage cans, as the city is not able to rent more garbage cans currently.
"At this time we are not renting any because we still have not gotten our pickup to our goal of over 1,200 houses per day," Martinez said. "Once the drivers are able to do a complete route -- and this is heavily dependent on the amount of participation the citizens have in regards to following bin placement guidelines -- we will implement additional bins. But until we can do a route as intended, it doesn't make sense to add additional bins along the route."