Roadside trash pickup - should uniform rolling cans be required and provided?

**kurt** · 09-23-2009, 06:58 AM

Recent bear sightings got me thinking again about roadside pickup.

I believe the waste collectors in adjacent counties require uniform, rolling, large bins at each home and business (or dumpster). I don't know if these are bear-proof but they are coon and possum proof for the most part. Currently many homes and rentals have multiple cans, often without lids, that end up tossed all over the right of way and streets. At homes and rentals that remain vacant for awhile, lids and cans fill with rain water and breed mosquitoes.

These large cans, which can be picked up by the robot arm on the trash trucks, are currently required in some SoWal neighborhoods. Is it time to go SoWal-wide at all residences? Get rid of all the roadside cans and wacky wooden can holders? Would we suddenly have thousands of unwanted cans?

I assume Waste Management would pass the cost of a can or 2 on to the property owner. Then again, it would probably be more efficient for them so they should absorb the cost? And for the property owner, the large cans are heavy duty and would probably be cheaper in the long run. It seems as a tourist destination we'd all be interested in having a cleaner looking town.

What say you?

**beachmouse** · 09-23-2009, 07:21 AM

We've got them. They're nice and big and you can fit stuff in them that would be bulk trash in other areas. But they're definitely not bear-proof, and are annoyingly poorly made. We're on our third one, and will soon get our fourth in seven years (provided we can ever get in touch with an actual customer service rep) because the handles and wheel axles keep coming off.

**Miss Kitty** · 09-23-2009, 07:22 AM

Kurt....we have these type cans in Dallas and I have nothing but raves for them. We have one for trash and one for recycling and one pickup a week. Works great for us.

**Smiling JOe** · 09-23-2009, 08:24 AM

I have one which is similar, though slightly smaller, than those used in Panama City, and Asheville. It is cheaply made, but it cost something like $120. The wheel came off and now it's a real biotch. However, those used over in Panama City and the ones provided in Asheville, are super-strong and durable. In both of those places, I believe the City buys the bins, and charges the homeowners in property taxes. If that is the case, I doubt WM (the provider in both PC and Asheville) will pick up any of the tab. Definitely not bear proof, as those metal boxes are probably closer to $800 each, but they are coon and oppossum proof. I'd be in favor of converting to these.

In Asheville, the City (mind you that the property taxes there are closer to 3% than ours which is less than 1%) also buys recycling bins for each home, and the WM trucks are equiped with four separate bins -- three separate recycles and one larger trash. A sorter rides on each truck and dumps the presorted recyclables into the appropriate bins. (why we don't do this is beyond me.

**kurt** · 09-23-2009, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by beachmouse

We've got them. They're nice and big and you can fit stuff in them that would be bulk trash in other areas. But they're definitely not bear-proof, and are annoyingly poorly made. We're on our third one, and will soon get our fourth in seven years (provided we can ever get in touch with an actual customer service rep) because the handles and wheel axles keep coming off.

I'm surprised - the big green ones I've seen over here are very sturdy - although the garbage truck arm and the sanitation engineers can be rough with them. I wouldn't doubt there is your problem.

Originally Posted by Miss Kitty

Kurt....we have these type cans in Dallas and I have nothing but raves for them. We have one for trash and one for recycling and one pickup a week. Works great for us.

I bet one can for recyclables would be easy and get more people involved instead of having to separate like some places require.

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

I have one which is similar, though slightly smaller, than those used in Panama City, and Asheville. It is cheaply made, but it cost something like $120. The wheel came off and now it's a real biotch. However, those used over in Panama City and the ones provided in Asheville, are super-strong and durable. In both of those places, I believe the City buys the bins, and charges the homeowners in property taxes. If that is the case, I doubt WM (the provider in both PC and Asheville) will pick up any of the tab. Definitely not bear proof, as those metal boxes are probably closer to $800 each, but they are coon and oppossum proof. I'd be in favor of converting to these.

In Asheville, the City (mind you that the property taxes there are closer to 3% than ours which is less than 1%) also buys recycling bins for each home, and the WM trucks are equiped with four separate bins -- three separate recycles and one larger trash. A sorter rides on each truck and dumps the presorted recyclables into the appropriate bins. (why we don't do this is beyond me.

We were doing this 20 years ago in Gainesville. My guess is that leaders around here are gun shy about introducing any new expenses to county budget or to taxpayers.

If anyone has the latest on recycling efforts in WalCo I'd appreciate an update.

**beachmouse** · 09-23-2009, 09:25 AM

I don't know if Okaloosa County subsidizes it or not, but we don't pay out of pocket for our WM big green mini-dumpsters. They were provided for us at the time they switched over to the robot arm trucks for my trash service area.

Which is fair because those kinds of garbage trucks seem to inherently cause damage to the cans on a regular basis. We're not the only people in our neighborhood that has had issues with handles and wheels coming off or the plastic bodies cracking. When the arms put the cans back down, they frequently slam them onto the pavement hard.

**seagrovegirl** · 09-23-2009, 12:35 PM

My trash can is a big heavy duty grey thing with a snap on top and it has worked well keeping the critters out. Although it's heavy and a pain to drag to the curb. My mother was having major issues with coons or whatever gettingi nto her trash so I bought her a large, heavy duty rolling can but the lid did not lock. After something got into that, we put a lock clasp on it and it has worked.

**SWGB** · 09-23-2009, 12:44 PM

WM does charge in PCB for the cans. In Tallahassee they are provided since they are rougher on them and it actually saves the city money. Since the truck only requires a driver/operator as opposed to a driver and a rider to dump the cans.

They also aren't raccoon or opossum proof, it's just the same principle as being the only locked car on your block.

**SGB** · 09-23-2009, 01:16 PM

As someone that just invested about $65 at HD on one of these big, hopefully beefy, trashcans with the attached lid, that the truck arm lifts up, I can tell you that our nightly racoon trash dumping has come to a stop. Yeah!!! We haven't had a problem with bears. If this comes to pass, I'd like to think I won't have to fork over more money for the WM company issued can.

**Beach Runner** · 09-23-2009, 02:56 PM

Our city requires everyone to have a garbage can on wheels. They are made by Otto Industries. If my memory serves me correctly, the city gave everyone a free can, and then extras were available for purchase. I think they made money off the deal because it had to be cheaper to buy the cans than drive up and down each driveway. The cans have to be put on the street in the AM and removed from the street by that night. Our can (we only need one for a family of three) is about 7 years old, and it is in great condition. No problems with animals knocking it over or opening the lid. Our house backs up to 4000 contiguous acres of undeveloped land, so lots of critters are out there.

The big problem I see is that there are so many vacation homes, who is going to roll the cans to the street and then return them to the homes that evening? If the cans stay streetside like they are now so they are easily accessible to WM, we'll still have the problem of unsightly trash cans, even if they all match. This is because even when nice bins are provided, WM just throws them back, and they land wherever they land, often not even in the bin or not upside down so that they fill with water and provide a mosquito breeding ground. And usually renters don't put everything in trash bags, so there's always a lot of loose trash on the ground.

Of course, as far as keeping the trash cans off the street so as not to be an eyesore except on pickup days, I suppose the county could do like our city does. They charge $25 a month to retrieve your trash can if you don't want to roll it to the street. If you have a documentable illness or handicap or over a certain age that prevents you from rolling it to the street, the city picks up right by your house for free. So maybe WM could just charge extra for vacation homeowners who aren't around to roll their cans to the street, just like they do here for people who just don't want to do it.

**Smiling JOe** · 09-23-2009, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by SGB

As someone that just invested about $65 at HD on one of these big, hopefully beefy, trashcans with the attached lid, that the truck arm lifts up, I can tell you that our nightly racoon trash dumping has come to a stop. Yeah!!! We haven't had a problem with bears. If this comes to pass, I'd like to think I won't have to fork over more money for the WM company issued can.

Sorry to disappoint you, but if you got it for only $65, it is one which will fall apart within a couple of years. Who knew that trashcans were so dang expensive?

**kurt** · 09-23-2009, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

Sorry to disappoint you, but if you got it for only $65, it is one which will fall apart within a couple of years. Who knew that trashcans were so dang expensive?

I think I got the same one. Seems very solid and has a lifetime warranty. Also keeps the coons out.

**SWGB** · 09-24-2009, 04:57 AM

How do you throw out a trash can anyway?

**SGB** · 09-24-2009, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

Sorry to disappoint you, but if you got it for only $65, it is one which will fall apart within a couple of years. Who knew that trashcans were so dang expensive?

It seems heavier and better made than any other trash can available at the big box stores. I'll let you know how it goes. Right now it's worth it just because we don't have to clean up the mess the coons leave every night. There's an even bigger one of the same type that sells for $90!!

To throw out your old garbage can, crush it, put it out, and it disappeared on trash day.

**Smiling JOe** · 09-24-2009, 07:47 AM

The heavy duty cans like used by the cities in PC and Asheville, are much larger and stronger than any I've ever seen in HD or Lowe's.

Lifetime warranty is good, but typically, only if you have a receipt.

**SWGB** · 09-24-2009, 12:44 PM

or if the manufacturer is still in business.

**Snerd** · 09-24-2009, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by SWGB

How do you throw out a trash can anyway?

I don't think it's very easy, but maybe this will help.

How to Throw Away a Garbage Can | eHow.com

Even the best garbage can reaches the end of its life, or you move and don't need it anymore but it's too yucky to leave for new owners. Anyone who has tried to throw away a garbage can can tell you, that is isn't quite as easy as it seems.

Instructions - Things You'll Need:
Large garbage bags
Poster board and markers

Step 1 Put a sign on the empty garbage can for the sanitation crew that says "please throw away the garbage can." This can take repeated attempts�and still doesn't always work. The crews move quickly through the route and don't always stop to read.

Step 2 Disguise the garbage can. Find a huge plastic bag and put the garbage can inside, or put big bags together so it looks like garbage.

Step 3 Contact the local sanitation department and explain your problem. There may be a way to throw away a garbage can that works the first or second or third time.

Step 4 Call a junk disposal service. This is a bit extreme since you end up paying for someone to take away your garbage can, but the frustration from failed attempts at other methods makes it easy to write the check.

Step 5 Decide you don't need to throw away the garbage can. Wash it out with a high-powered hose and lots of soap put it into the back yard for storing outdoor toys, birdseed or even turn it into a composter.

Step 6 Clean the garbage can. Place it in front of your house on garbage day, away from the other garbage, with a big poster that says "Free! Take Me Away." Amazingly enough, someone just might.