Delays and missed collections reported as Waterloo Region rolls out new cart-based system

Tuesday marked day one of Waterloo Region’s new cart-based waste collection system.

Garbage and organic waste are now collected by trucks with mechanical arms, operated using a joystick inside the vehicle.

The townships of Wellesley, Woolwich and North Dumfries, as well as parts of Cambridge, were the first communities scheduled to receive pick up.

Olivia Kwok, the region’s director of waste management, warned the roll out will likely be a little slow, but speed will pick up with time.

“The operators who are driving the trucks, they were just recently doing a very different type of service, and they just got trained up on the new program with the automated arm. So they’re making sure they’re doing it well, doing it right today,” Kwok told CTV News.

On Tuesday night, the region confirmed there were some collection delays.

“As the Region of Waterloo launches this new carts-based curbside collection program, and new routes and trucks are being utilized, there were some delays today in collection. More trucks, including semi-automated trucks, are being brought in to support the first week of collection where all households are getting garbage collection,” a statement from the region said.

Residents were encouraged to leave their carts out and they will be collected on Wednesday.

For the first week, residents get both garbage and organic waste picked up, another reason the process will take more time at the start.

After that, organic waste will be picked up once a week and garbage every other week.

Recycling in blue boxes is now managed by Circular Materials. Pick up moves to every other week, opposite to garbage.

It’s a change some worry will lead to recyclables ending up in the trash.

“I think it’s a bad move because a lot of people are going to start throwing away the recycles in regular garbage,” Ayr resident Debra Vincze says. “There’s a lot of recycle that needs to go out.”

To help with the less frequent pick up, residents have been given two extra blue bins and there is no limit on how many containers of recycling can be put out on collection day.

Residents are being asked to check their collection day as it may have changed, with the region moving to a four-day pick-up schedule instead of five.

The black and green waste carts must be placed two feet apart, with the lids closed. The arrows on the lid should face the street, with handles facing the home.

As the program is rolled out, Kwok says there will be a curbside cart crew and education team going ahead of the trucks, ensuring carts are placed properly.

“Say they need a little bit more space or they need to point the cart the right way, we’ll do that. And then we’ll also leave a little sticker behind just so that you can have a successful collection next time,” Kwok said.

Conversely, carts placed correctly may end up being marked with a gold star sticker, letting residents know they’re on the right track.

Kwok says a number of communities, including several around Waterloo Region, have been using these cart-based systems for some time now.

“People get used to the process,” Kwok said. “They like rolling the carts out at the curb. Keeps things really tidy. You don’t have to go out in the morning and see the bags all ripped up.”

As for old garbage containers and green bins, residents are encouraged to re-use them for yard waste, or to store items including soil, mulch or other household goods.

Old green bins can be dropped off at the region’s waste management sites at 925 Erb Road in Waterloo and 201 Savage Drive in Cambridge.

The Region will also be hosting drop off events in each city and township in the future.

Alternatively, old containers can be put out on the curb during bulky item collection, which now happens once a month.