West Kelowna

The first of more than 150,000 specialized garbage carts have begun rolling into neighbourhoods in West Kelowna.

Over the next four months, residents of Peachland, West Kelowna, Kelowna, Lake Country and the Regional District will begin receiving the new wheeled carts.

Each home will be receiving three carts, designed for garbage, recycling and yard waste.

The first of the carts rolled off the trucks Friday in West Kelowna.

Carts are scheduled to be delivered to homes in West Kelowna in February, Peachland the first two weeks of March, Lake Country the last two weeks of March, Joe Rich/Ellison the first week of April and the City of Kelowna April through June.

All residents who currently receive curbside pick-up, except those on WFN lands, should be receiving the new carts over the next four months.

The carts will be delivered by staff from the Regional Waste Reduction Office, the contractor and trained volunteers.

Each of the three carts are designed to be easily wheeled to the curb. A specialized garbage hauler with an automated arm picks up the cart and its contents, placing the empty cart back along the side of the road.

West Kelowna resident, Sally Hazel, participated in the pilot project when the new system was tested.

She's been using the new system since October and says there is no down side to the new system.

"It's so much easier to deal with it. You don't have blue bags or yard waste bags to worry about," says Hazel.

"There's the ease of not having to pick up your garbage can and carrying it to the curb. I wheel the recycling bin up to my door now because you just dump the stuff in now."

The carts are being purchased by the Regional District, with the cost passed on the the resident.

Hazel says she believes the cost is insignificant.

"In my opinion, you'll save it on bags in a year, maybe two. You're only putting your bins out when they're full, so you're saving resources that way."

The Regional District moved to the automated system due in part to the rising costs of manual pick-up.

Regional District Communications Coordinator, Bruce Smith, says increases in labour costs, injury claims and other costs have driven waste and recycling collections costs up across North America.

"The manual collection system is hard on workers and the repetitive lifting takes a physical toll as they hike thousands of pounds of garbage from the curb to the truck every day," says Lance Shaw of OK Environmental Waste Systems.

For those who may be apprehensive about the new system, Hazel has some words of advice.

"Embrace it. Give it a try. You'll love it. It really does make your life easier."

Answers to questions regarding the automated garbage system can be found at the Regional District website.

Link: Link to Regional District website