About a third of Coquitlam homes that get city garbage and green waste pickup now have new carts.
But city hall is asking residents not to use them until July 2, when BFI Canada takes over the city's trash collection.
Tracy Kyle, Coquit-lam's acting manager of environmental services, said some homeowners have already asked to exchange their new carts for a different size. But she says they must wait until the full delivery is done.
"Their addresses and cart choices are being recorded by staff and will be acted upon following the initial distribution phase," she said.
The roll-out of the new trash and organic waste carts - plus the kitchen catchers - has been a massive task for the city. On the education side alone, the change-over to the new automated system has been budgeted to cost $350,000.
To date, about 900 residents have contacted the city about the new program, which will see trash picked up bi-weekly and green waste and recyclables collected weekly.
Further complicating matters is the role of Multi-Materials BC (MMBC) in Coquitlam. Unlike Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, which have city-run services, Coquitlam has declined to collect recycling on behalf of MMBC. As a result, MMBC has contracted Smithrite to collect recycables in the city; that service will start at the same time as the BFI contract, on July 2.
"When the city began to publicize the changes to the solid-waste program earlier this year, MMBC had not initiated its communications campaign and their role did not appear to be well understood," Kyle said. "However, now that MMBC are delivering glass collection containers to Coquitlam homes along with specific information on their recycling program, recognition of MMBC's role and profile within the city appears to have improved."
For more information about coming changes to Coquitlam's trash collection, call the city's engineering customer service hotline at 604-927-3500 or visit coquitlam.ca/trashtalk. To learn about MMBC, visit multimaterialbc.ca.
