The City of Smithville’s new automated side loader garbage truck arrived today (Wednesday) and it will soon change the way trash is collected.
Last December, the aldermen voted to purchase the garbage truck, a 24 cubic yard tandem axle Peterbilt 348, from Municipal Equipment, Inc. of Knoxville for $192,564. The city also bought 2,500 curbside trash cart containers from Municipal Equipment, Inc. for $120,500. The total cost to the city for the truck and cart containers is $313,064.
Although the new truck will be put in use on a trial basis right away in certain areas, the new garbage collection system won’t be fully implemented until the 2500 curbside trash containers are distributed to households and businesses throughout the city. The aldermen will also have to adopt a new ordinance establishing regulations and procedures for residents and businesses to follow. Only one garbage cart can will be provided by the city per home or business. If another cart is needed or desired, residents and business owners may purchase one. Only those cart cans issued by the city may be used for garbage collection. The city will not pick up garbage in any other type of can.
Unlike the city’s current garbage trucks, this new one will be manned only by the driver and equipped with an automated side loader for picking up curbside residential household garbage. The side loader can extend up to 12 feet in grabbing a garbage can and lifting it up for disposal into the truck.
For homes on narrow streets, the city plans to retrofit two of its existing garbage trucks with rear loaders. Under this system, operators will place the trash cans at the rear of the trucks and the loaders will lift the cans and dump the garbage into the trucks.
Residents and business owners will be provided written copies of the following regulations:
*Customers will be issued only one cart can. Another is available for purchase from the solid waste Department. Residential households who regularly exceed ninety six (96) gallons of garbage a week may obtain an additional container for a one-time user fee of $100 with a 50% refund should the additional container be returned to the City of Smithville in proper condition. When returned to the city the container is not to be painted, abused, mutilated, altered or modified in any manner.
*Residents are required to use approved trash containers supplied by the City of Smithville.
*Only refuse in the container shall be collected. Additional refuse left on the ground will not be picked up.
*Carts should be in place by 7:00 a.m. or the night before your pickup day. Carts must be removed the same evening as your pickup day. Your pickup day will remain the same for a few months, but due to the new automated method of pickup your pickup day is subject to change. The new method is much faster and allows the city to serve more customers in one day. You will be notified if your pickup changes.
*All items should be bagged and securely tied inside the cart. The lid on the cart must be closed flat.
*The container shall be placed in such a manner as not to interfere with overhead power lines or tree branches, parked cars, vehicular traffic, or in any other way that would constitute a public hazard or nuisance. Containers are to be at least four feet from any tree, pole, mailbox, fire hydrant, etc. and at least ten (10) feet away from any cars parked in the street.
*Do not place hot or warm ashes, batteries, paints, solvents, appliances, air conditioners, acid, rubber tires, pesticides, insecticides, metal pipes, plastic pipes, plumbing fixtures, building materials such as scrap lumber, plaster, roofing, concrete, carpet, brick, sand, dust or other flammable liquids in the cart. Also do not put Hazardous materials like chemicals, used oil or medical waste in the cart. Items of question to be put in the cart, please call. Cameras are mounted on the truck to assist the driver in detecting items that could cause damage to the truck. Anyone found placing such items that cause damage to the truck will be held liable for the damage and responsible for all expenses.
*Notify the Solid Waste Department if your cart is broken, damaged or stolen. Call 615-597-6318.
*If for any reason city staff incur difficulty dumping your container they are equipped with a notification form and they have been instructed to attach the form to the container that has posed the difficulty. This is just to let you, the user, know how to enable the city to service you quickly and efficiently. Sometimes even the smallest detail can make the biggest difference.
*Any resident moving to another location within the city limits, or out of the city limits, shall be responsible for notifying the public works department. The roll out container shall remain at the original assigned location. Additional containers shall also remain at the original assigned location unless the resident is moving to another location inside the city limits or may be returned to the city limits or may be returned to the city for a 50% refund of the $100 fee assessed for the additional container.