Town & Country Sanitation to begin transition process to One-Pass Automated Collection of garbage and recyclables in Waukon
Photo above shows the now automated process of picking up garbage and recyclables to be utilized by Town & Country Sanitation in the Waukon community beginning in the month of May. The new process will utilize the same garbage toters, but residents should expect new recyclable toters, similar to the current garbage toters but with gold lids, to be delivered to their residence by the end of April. Additional information will be publicized about the transition as it becomes available. Submitted photo.
New recyclable bins to be delivered within next two weeks for May change
Town & Country Sanitation, contracted collector of garbage and recyclables with the City of Waukon, will be introducing the new One-Pass Automated Collection process to the community of Waukon starting in May of this year. Pick-up of recyclables will experience the greatest change, although pick-up scheduling for both garbage and recyclables will see a change for most all residents, with further details to be publicized as they become available.
For the near future, Waukon residents can expect new recycle containers, otherwise known as toters, to be delivered between April 15 and April 30 to each current pick-up address, replacing the smaller red bins currently used. The new recycle containers will be the same size as the current garbage container, but instead of being all green, will be green with a gold lid. The new larger recycle containers will allow recyclables to be picked up every other week - a noted change from current practice, with garbage collection continuing on a weekly basis.
Beginning with the first week of May, weekly garbage collection by Town & Country Sanitation will take place either Tuesdays or Thursdays in Waukon, starting May 2 and 4, and the alternate week schedule for recycling will begin the following week, May 9 and 11. All of those dates will depend upon a residence's location within Waukon, with that schedule yet to be finalized. More details will be provided soon regarding which sections of town will be on the Tuesday or Thursday pick-up schedule.
Town & Country Sanitation has provided recommendations for the placement of the garbage and new recycling containers at the curb with the new One-Pass Automated Collection system being implemented, which involves the use of a mechanical arm to lift and empty garbage and recycle containers into the transporting truck. Arrows on lids of each container need to point outwards to the alley or curb the transporting truck will be traveling, and the containers need to be three feet from any fixed objects such as mailboxes, trees or streetlights, with a three-foot gap between the garbage and recycle containers in order for the mechanical arm to be able to function properly. Containers should be placed at the end of a residence driveway, if possible, or on the boulevard within one foot of the curb.
As is currently the practice, garbage and recycle containers need to be placed out by 6 a.m. of collection day, no more than 12 hours before collection, and should be returned to storage within 24 hours following pick-up. During the winter, snow is expected to be cleared by residents from the collection area in order to allow the containers to sit flat. Garbage and recyclables will not be collected if placed on a snow bank.
Additional information about new garbage rates also going into effect in May of this year can be found in the Ordinance published on Page 4B in this week's print edition and e-edition of The Standard.
