Cheshire’s move to automated garbage collection is drawing near

Cheshire currently has automate recycling where a truck with a robotic arm grans the bar on the container, lifts it into the air, tipping the contents into truck.. The automated trash collection program, which begins on April 1 will use similar containers less Cheshire currently has automate recycling where a truck with a robotic arm grans the bar on the container, lifts it into the air, tipping the contents into truck.. The automated trash collection program, which ... more Photo: Luther Turmelle/Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Luther Turmelle/Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Cheshire’s move to automated garbage collection is drawing near 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

CHESHIRE — The first phase of town’s switch to automated garbage pick up begins next week with the delivery of the specialized trash receptacles that will make the process possible.

Homes with three or more bedrooms will receive one 96 gallon container delivered to their homes starting Monday and continuing through March 25 or 26 if necessary, said George Noewatne, the town’s director of Public Works and Engineering. Most condominium units and single-family homes with up to two bedrooms will get 64-gallon containers, Noewatne said.

Currently, the town’s trash hauler, A.J. Waste, has sanitation workers riding on the back of each truck to pick up residents’ garbage containers and dump the contents into the truck.

Under the new system, which will go into effect on April 1, each truck will have just one person operating it. The new trash containers are similar to those used to collect recyclables as part of Cheshire’s single-stream recycling process, which already is automated.

Recyclables collection is done using a robotic arm that is part of the truck and is operated by the driver of the truck. The robotic arm grabs container, lifts it into the air, tipping the contents into truck.

If homeowners and businesses wish to obtain a second 96-gallon trash container, they will have to pay $51.80 to the town for the container and $100 more annually to A.J. Waste to cover the cost of collecting a second container.

Noewatne said public works officials want residents to use whatever sized new container for three months. If after that time, a resident wants to get a larger container or smaller one, they will be able to do so, he said.

The council approved the plan to go to automated trash collection in November. Going to automated collection of trash is expected to save the town $100,000 in the first year of the contract.

Town officials are still debating what to do in terms of helping residents get rid of their old trash containers. There has been some discussion about having the old containers picked up at curbside, but Noewatne and Council Chairman Rob Oris said no firm decision has been made yet.

“We’ve also talked about having people bring their old garbage cans to a centralized point in town,” Noewatne said.

Oris acknowledged some residents may not have large enough vehicles to get rid of the existing trash cans without making multiple trips if town officials decide to go with the centralized location model.

“How they get rid of their existing garbage cans is somewhat up to them,” he said. “A lot going communities in the state are getting away from the idea of municipal garbage service altogether. But whatever we decide to do, we’re going to support residents in whatever way we can.”

Oris said he was uncertain whether the move to automation resulted in any sanitation workers at A.J. Waste losing their jobs. And nobody from A.J. Waste was available for comment on whether the going to automation with the Cheshire municipal contract resulted in any layoffs.

Oris said he has always been concerned about what would happen to the workers who rode on the back of the trucks.

“I think they did a great job and were very dedicated,” Oris said. “If they are laid off, I hope they are able to find new jobs quickly. But the council had to weight that against the fiscal issue we need to deal with.”

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com