Garbage truck troubles

Private collection by contractors will not mean increased fees

Garbage collection has resumed, but even before the recent storm that washed out roads and caused further delays, consistent collection has been an ongoing issue. – © Rosalyn Roy

By RYAN KING

PORT AUX BASQUES – There have been a number of service interruptions for garbage collection over the past few months that have had nothing to do with the recent storm and related washouts. These problems have stemmed from mechanical issues with the waste collection truck.

“The Town of Channel – Port aux Basques collects waste material on behalf of the Marine Mountain Zone Waste Management Committee (MMZWMC). The material collected is dual stream (waste and recyclable material) which requires a split-body truck for collection. The interior of the unit is divided into two sections, one for waste and one for recyclable materials,” explained Town Manager Leon MacIsaac.

The MMZWMC have experienced difficulties with the collection trucks due to wear and tear.

“The trucks collect all material from South Branch to Rose Blanche and travel on less than ideal roads in many areas. Mechanical breakdowns are a common issue due to frequent use and the continuous hydraulic and compaction service on the units,” stated MacIsaac.

The split-body dual stream truck is back in operation, with its mechanical issues now resolved. The town also has a new split-body truck that will hopefully alleviate some of the service interruptions, but the delivery of that new truck has experienced delays.

“The new unit has been delayed a number of times due to delivery issues associated with COVID-19 and is expected to arrive in the coming weeks,” said MacIsaac.

With only the one split-body truck in the fleet as of yet, the town makes use of equipment from other businesses. This does not mean an increased cost to residents.

“There isn’t an increased cost in collection services to residents due to mechanical breakdowns. All impacts are typically attributed to the tipping fee structure for collection of materials. Information on costs associated with collection are available once the year end audit has been completed,” said MacIsaac.

The arrival of the new garbage truck and access to the waste management site have been impacted by the recent heavy rains and highway washouts. The roads have only just re-opened to allow access to the Cape Ray Waste Transfer Station once again.

The Town of Port aux Basques announced soon after the Trans Canada Highway re-opened that collection would be resuming in town for blue and clear bags, with Wednesday’s normal collection being picked up on Saturday, Dec. 4.

Garbage collection in coastal areas will also resume, with clear bags only for the first week. For the week of Dec. 6, only clear bags will be picked up in Port aux Basques, and both clear and blue bags will be collected outside of town.

Garbage collection in the Codroy Valley will also resume once the washed-out areas have been repaired.

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