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Update: Automated garbage collection coming to Nanaimo

City announces in-camera decision to automate garbage collection in Nanaimo
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The City of Nanaimo plans to automate garbage collection services. (News Bulletin file)

Automated garbage collection is coming to Nanaimo.

Nanaimo council agreed in a closed meeting March 27 to automate its garbage collection service for $7.4-million, the city announced Tuesday. The plan will see new garbage trucks, standardized bins for residents and in-house recycling.

It will also mean higher user rates for residents as the city recoups capital costs for the new service, which is anticipated to see its first roll out in central Nanaimo this October.

City politicians have been considering automated garbage collection for the past two years to address a system stretched by staff injuries and downtime with the fleet.

Staff members initially pitched a three-year, $6.8-million plan in 2015, but council opted instead automate just one-third of the city, including with the purchase of two trucks. It later put the brakes on the roll out to consider results of a core services review.

Under this plan, garbage collection will be fully automated over one year, not three, and will begin with one-third of the city in central Nanaimo around the hospital, Cilaire, Departure Bay and up to the Westwood area, according to Charlotte Davis, city manager of sanitation, recycling and public works administration. The rest of the community would see mechanical arms picking up curbside waste in June or July of 2018.

It’s a more expensive plan, with the city choosing to have seven large trucks instead of six and one small one instead of two. It’s also because prices change with time, said Davis, but she also sees the costs as more realistic.

Residents are expected to see user rates at $146 in the first year of implementation compared to today’s $101.75. Once the city has paid off its purchase in five years, the user rate would drop to $80, according to the City of Nanaimo. There will also be a plan in the future to incorporate yard waste collection into the service, which the city anticipates would add another $23 onto user rates in the first year.

Automation is a big deal and a complete change in the way the city does business, Davis said. The new trucks will see employees empty solid waste with the help of a joy-stick operated mechanical arm. She said it means they aren’t getting out of their vehicles 600 times and lifting 5.5 tonnes of waste a day. It will also streamline city operations.

“The automation of our solid waste collection services will bring some really positive improvements for residents and staff,” Davis said in a press release. “Residents will enjoy the sturdy, clean and easy to manoeuvre wheeled carts and collection crews will appreciate the move away from the physically demanding nature of the work.”

Automation requires the use of special wheeled carts which the city said in a press release will be provided to residents in advance of the implementation of the project.

A more detailed plan on automation is coming this month.