Automated Garbage Frequently Asked Questions |
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With automated garbage collection, how often will my garbage be picked up? |
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Do I use bags to throw out my garbage and organics into the carts? |
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For more information you can also visit the following pages:
- the waste and organics frequently asked questions section, including where to place your carts;
- the general solid waste frequently asked questions section; and
- the curbside organics section.
2. My street is tree-lined. Will the new automated trucks have difficulties navigating my street without hitting them? The City of St. Albert has already begun trimming the tree canopy to accommodate the new automated trucks. The new trucks will not be any larger than the Waste Management Inc trucks currently servicing the City, so minimal work is required. If you encounter any problems with trees on your boulevard once the program is implemented, please contact Public Works at 780-459-1557. 3. Since garbage is picked up once every two weeks, will I see a reduction in the amount of garbage I can put out? The carts are designed to hold two weeks of garbage based on the current PAYT subscription levels. Residents will not see a reduction in current material space allotted per cart. 4. Typically, when there is a holiday, the garbage collection schedule changes. As garbage is going to be picked up once every two weeks, will my garbage not get picked up for three or four weeks? The City of St. Albert's Public Works department has developed a schedule that takes into consideration the effect of holidays on waste pickup. Please refer to the collection schedule for more information. 5. What do I do with my old garbage can? Old
garbage cans used prior to June 1, 2011, can be used for many purposes,
such as storage, or you can convert them into rain barrels. 6. Shouldn't residents who produce more waste pay more? The City of St. Albert's PAYT program reflects the ideology that residents who produce more landfill waste should be charged accordingly. The City of St. Albert encourages residents to participate in the curbside recycling and organics programs as a way to reduce their PAYT subscription rate. The City of St. Albert has some of the lowest waste rates in the Capital region and one of the only PAYT subscription programs in Canada which encourages residents to reduce as much landfill waste as possible. 7. What do I do with my extra tags? Residents will still be able to use extra blue bag tags if they have extra garbage, however, the bags will not be picked up at the curb. This summer, the City of St. Albert will have a waste bin at the Recycling Depot on Chevigny Street that can be used for disposing of additional bags of waste (providing they are properly tagged). Hold on to any excess blue bag tags as they will not expire. 8. Do I use bags to throw out my garbage and organics into the carts? Bags will not be required for waste or organics disposal. If residents choose to use a bag for their waste, any type of bag can be used for landfill waste, however the City of St. Albert encourages finding alternatives to plastic bags for your garbage. For organics waste, residents must use compostable bags for them to be accepted. These bags are made of organic materials and biodegrade at the same rate as other organic material. If residents are interested in using bags for the organic cart program, most grocery and hardware stores carry compostable bags. 9. How is the City mitigating the potential for garbage to develop a strong odour during pickup periods? The
implementation of the curbside organics program will remove organics
from household garbage. Other municipalities that have implemented a
similar program found that once organics are removed from household
garbage, odour is not an issue. With the new program, organics will be
collected weekly in the summer months, which is when odour may present a
concern. [ back to the top ]
