A new garbage truck will hit Nanaimo's streets as the the City expands. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)
waste collection

New automated garbage truck to be added to handle increased demand in Nanaimo

May 4, 2021 | 1:19 PM

NANAIMO — The fleet of garbage trucks is set to expand.

Nanaimo councillors on Monday, May 3 approved borrowing up to $460,000 for a new automated garbage truck.

It will be the second new truck introduced as Nanaimo grapples with more waste and is part of a sizable change to how garbage, recycling and compost are collected.

The additional truck is expected to be on Nanaimo streets within one year.

The first new truck went into service in September, 2020.

More trucks are needed as routes change in Nanaimo.

Starting in late January, crews collect both landfill and recycling each day from two zones in the City, rather than collecting only one type of waste from one zone each day.

Taaj Daliran, manager of sanitation and recycling, previously said this will cut down on wasted time waiting in line at the landfill to increase the amount of garbage and recycling collected.

Nanaimo’s growth in recent years has outpaced projections, leading to more collection points than anticipated when automated garbage plans were put into action.

The amount of waste put on Nanaimo curbs increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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