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Frequently Asked Questions
What is automated garbage collection and how does it work?
When does the program start?
How many carts will I receive?
When will I receive my carts?
What can I put in my Cleaner Greener yard trimmings and food scraps cart?
Why should I compost my food scraps?
What can I put in my garbage cart?
What should I do with pet waste?
Will my garbage collection day change?
How should I position my carts for pick up?
What time should I set my carts out for pick up?
What if I have more than I can fit in my cart on collection day?
What if I need a different size of cart?
What are the dimensions of the carts?
What should I do if my cart goes missing?
Should I take my carts with me if I move?
How do I clean my carts?
What do I do with my old garbage cans when the program starts?
Why is the City proposing this change? Why not just keep collecting the same way we always have?
Will there be layoffs at the City as a result of automated collection?
Are all residents in New Westminster getting the new service?
What are the carts made from?
Will my solid waste utility bill go up as a result of the change to automated collection?
If I want to change to a larger cart, how much will it cost?
If my cart is damaged, can I buy a new one?
What is automated garbage collection and how does it work?
In an automated collection system, trucks use a mechanical arm on a truck to empty the containers of garbage and other waste, instead of having workers lift and empty cans and bags by hand. Automated collection requires the use of specialized carts which will be supplied by the City and delivered to all eligible residents.
When does the program start?
The program start date is October 1st 2010. New carts will be delivered starting in September 2010, but please do not use the carts before October 1st. There is no need to call the City to place an order, as carts have been ordered for all eligible households.
How many carts will I receive?
Each household will be provided with two carts, one for garbage and one for the new Cleaner Greener food scraps and yard trimmings program. You will receive:
- One 120 L cart for garbage, roughly equal to about 2 regular-sized garbage bags.
- One 240 L cart for the Cleaner Greener program, roughly equal to about 4 regular-sized garbage bags.
These sizes were chosen based on the typical amount of garbage households set out for collection each week in the City. We also took into account that the new program, as well as our existing blue box recycling service, will allow you to recycle more than ever.
When will I receive my carts?
Cart delivery is scheduled to begin in early September 2010. .When you receive your carts, please store them in a secure location, and remember not to start using them before the program starts on October 1st 2010.
What can I put in my Cleaner Greener yard trimmings and food scraps cart?
The Cleaner Greener yard trimmings and food scraps recycling program expands the range of items you can put in the Clean Green cart to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill even more.
You can now include:
You can now include:
- Any kind of cooked or uncooked food scraps, including meat, fish, bones, dairy, and eggshells.
- Food-soiled paper like napkins, pizza boxes that are too soiled to recycle.
- Yard trimmings, leaves and grass.
Things to keep out:
- Any kind of oils, lard, butter and fats.
- Wire twists and rubber bands.
- Plastic bags, cork or styrofoam, as well as most take-out containers.
Please do not use plastic bags in your Cleaner Greener cart as this affects the quality of the compost.
What can I put in my garbage cart?
For pet waste at home, other than cat waste:
For cat waste:
You can continue to place bagged garbage into the garbage cart. Small bags are best and tend to fit better inside the cart, so there’s no need to put all your garbage into a single large bag. Just remember to put all your cooked or uncooked food scraps as well as food-soiled paper like napkins or pizza boxes into your Cleaner Greener cart instead. You will probably be surprised how little “garbage” you actually have each week once you are using your Cleaner Greener cart in conjunction with your blue recycling box.
For pet waste at home, other than cat waste:
Metro Vancouver recommends flushing the dog waste without the bag. Although banned from disposal, the quantity of waste that one or two dogs generate in about a week is tolerated in the garbage. It should be double-bagged and set out for collection at least once a week. Double-bagging will reduce occupational risks for waste haulers and transfer station operators. Large quantities of pet waste in the garbage are unacceptable and will likely not be picked up.
For cat waste:
Pet owners should dispose of cat feces double-bagged with their garbage. Again, although banned from disposal, waste from a few pets is tolerated in the garbage provided that it is set out for collection at least once a week. Cat waste can contain the Toxoplasma parasite, which can harm humans who come into contact with cat waste through composting or accidental exposure at waste transfer facilities. Double-bagging will reduce these occupational risks.
Flushing of cat waste is discouraged. The Toxoplasma parasite can also harm aquatic wildlife when cat feces are flushed. As a result, the California Fish and Game Code discourages the flushing of cat feces. Furthermore, flushing either regular or flushable cat litter can eventually clog residential sewer connectors.
Flushing of cat waste is discouraged. The Toxoplasma parasite can also harm aquatic wildlife when cat feces are flushed. As a result, the California Fish and Game Code discourages the flushing of cat feces. Furthermore, flushing either regular or flushable cat litter can eventually clog residential sewer connectors.
For more information, please vist the City Farmer website.
Will my garbage collection day change?
No. The collection schedule in the 2010 Garbage Collection Calendar will be maintained to the end of 2010 as usual.
How should I position my carts for pick up?
Carts should be placed for pick-up each week in the same spot where they first were delivered. For some households, this may mean a change from the lane to the front of your house.
Please ensure that there is at least an arm’s length (approx. 1 m or 2 steps) between the carts and other objects such as parked cars, fences or your blue box.
Carts should be placed for pick-up each week in the same spot where they first were delivered. For some households, this may mean a change from the lane to the front of your house.
Please ensure that there is at least an arm’s length (approx. 1 m or 2 steps) between the carts and other objects such as parked cars, fences or your blue box.
What time should I set my carts out for pick up?
Carts should be at the curb for pick-up no later than 7:30 am on collection day.
Carts should be at the curb for pick-up no later than 7:30 am on collection day.
It’s important not to overfill your carts. Lids must close completely.
If you have extra garbage that will not fit into your garbage cart, you can buy a tag from the City and set out the extra material with the tag.
What if I need a different size of cart?
If you’re finding you have extra garbage week to week, and you’ve utilized every opportunity to recycle all your recyclable materials, you may wish to consider upsizing your cart for an additional charge. Please CLICK HERE.
If you have the large size garbage cart and you’re finding that the garbage container is too large for your needs and would like to take advantage of a cost reduction, please CLICK HERE.
If you’re finding you have extra garbage week to week, and you’ve utilized every opportunity to recycle all your recyclable materials, you may wish to consider upsizing your cart for an additional charge. Please CLICK HERE.
What should I do if my cart goes missing?
All the carts will be imprinted with a serial number that will be linked to your address. This will enable us to recover carts that go missing and return them to their owners. To help prevent your carts from being lost or stolen, please be sure to bring your carts in after they are emptied each week.
Should I take my carts with me if I move?
No. The carts are property of the City of New Westminster and the serial numbers are registered to your specific property and address. If you move to a house in New Westminster, you will acquire the carts registered to that property.
How do I clean my carts?
The carts are made of durable plastic that can be easily cleaned with soap and water. You can use dish washing liquid and a hose to wash your carts out. Dry the carts by setting them upside down to drain. It’s a good idea to rinse your cart out regularly to keep it clean and reduce odors.
The carts are made of durable plastic that can be easily cleaned with soap and water. You can use dish washing liquid and a hose to wash your carts out. Dry the carts by setting them upside down to drain. It’s a good idea to rinse your cart out regularly to keep it clean and reduce odors.
Wrapping your food scraps in kraft bags or newspaper before placing them in your cart will also help to keep your cart clean. Plastic bags or biodegradable bags are not allowed in the Cleaner Greener cart.
Before you throw out your cans, please consider how you might repurpose the cans. The cans can be used as an extra storage container in your yard or garage for wood, yard material, or anything else you need stowed away. Cans can also be easily converted into a backyard composter. Check out this video or these step-by-step instructions.
The City of New Westminster will also be offering residents the opportunity to recycle their old cans. On Saturday, October 16, 2010 residents can bring their old cans to the Canada Games Pool parking lot from 10am - 6pm to have them recycled for free.
The current garbage trucks are at the end of their service lives, so replacing them offered us an opportunity to move to a cleaner, greener automated system. The new carts have secure lids to prevent birds or animals from spreading garbage around keeping neighbourhoods cleaner, and the convenience of recycling food scraps means a greener choice for residents, helping keep more waste out of landfills. In addition, you’ve probably already heard about other communities in the Lower Mainland such as Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Burnaby and Vancouver that have introduced food scraps recycling programs. New Westminster residents will now have a chance to join in, creating a greener region.
There will be no layoffs of existing employees, since there are currently a number of vacant sanitation crew positions. Switching to an automated collection system would also open up the collection positions to a wider range of individuals. Waste haulers currently lift up to 10 metric tonnes of waste into their trucks each day (that’s like 2 elephants!). With automated collection, haulers can be almost any age or stature.
No. The new service will only be provided to residents in households who currently receive garbage and blue box recycling collection. The new automated system will provide year-round pick-up services for garbage and the Cleaner Greener food scraps and yard trimmings program. Recycling services won’t be changed at this time.
The carts are made from recycled plastic sourced from municipal recycling programs just like ours, so some of your own recyclables may have been used to make your carts! The plastic is specially treated to remain strong through several years of regular use, and to withstand damage caused by the sun and winter weather. We worked with local suppliers based in Langley, BC to source our carts, which are also made by a Canadian company.
There won’t be any changes to utility bills in 2010. The changes will result in minor cost increases, as the cost of the new carts will be spread over the next 20 years. These minimal increases have already been incorporated into utility rates for 2011 and beyond.
There are two costs associated with switching to a larger cart; the one-time cost to deliver the new cart to you, and the additional annual costs you will pay to have a larger amount of garbage.
Within the designated time period from November 1, 2010 to January 15, 2011, the City will waive the one-time delivery and administration charge. After January 15, 2011, a service fee of $25.00 will be charged for each container change. If you opt for a larger cart, your annual garbage collection fees will increase by $110/year.
For more information or comments, please call Engineering Operations at 604-526-4691
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