Garbage, recycling, and compost bins must be at the curb by 8 a.m. on the day of your area's collection and removed from the curb the same day. (City of Nanaimo)

By Jordan Davidson

reduce, reuse, recycle

Increased routes and resources helping Nanaimo’s automated garbage collection keep up with demand

Nov 8, 2021 | 5:47 AM

NANAIMO — Local waste collectors are doing all they can to keep up with Nanaimo garbage.

A surge in trash and recycling created through the COVID-19 pandemic from more food and online shopping orders has challenged crews and taxed equipment as they try to clear bins in a timely manner.

John Elliot, City director of public works, told Councillors during their ongoing budget discussions, crews are collecting 56 per cent more garbage than in 2018.

“All of this increase has required us to put 20 per cent more resources onto this collection and that’s been a struggle, but now that we’ve got it balanced we’re definitely on track with solving the problems that we have had.”

The City adjusted pickup schedules in November 2020 in a bid to ease the burden on its equipment.

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Council also approved borrowing up to $460,000 in May 2021 to purchase a new automated collection truck, the second such vehicle added in recent years to handle increased demand.

The truck is due on the road by summer 2022.

Elliot said extra equipment and streamlined routes mean they only have to make one trip to the landfill a day, which also reduced overtime basically to zero.

What also hit zero so far in 2021 were the number of Workers Compensation Board (WCB) claims.

“In the past years we’ve seen those WCB claims go through the roof because it was all manual,” Elliot said. “It was all lifting garbage cans and repetitive injuries. Looking back we should have done this earlier, however, we’re on track now.”

Elliot and his team are due to return to Council’s budget deliberations at a later date with a pitch to make a pilot project permanent.

The Community Clean Team, formerly the Social Disorder Response Team, began operation in November 2019 with their funding due to expire at the end of the year.

Members of the team work with bylaw to help clean up areas where refuse is a consistent issue at a cost of around $250,000 a year.

“It’s proven to be a very valuable resource and service.”

Additional asks of Council during their budget deliberations will include finding ways to keep up with the high demand, starting an information campaign to reduce recycling contamination levels and further develop strategies to ensure equipment isn’t being overworked.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow