82 replies to this topic

[sebberry]

Only one way to find out... 

[Greg]

I dunno, there must be a dozen cats roaming my block. Surely they'll keep the rats in check, no?

 

And two weeks later there will be people wandering around gathering signatures to stop the "rat cull."

[pherthyl]

Won't neighbourhood cats solve the rat problem?

 

I swear if I see a rat around my place because of one of these bins it's bye-bye green binning.

 

What's the alternative?   

[sebberry]

Found this on Reddit: 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqQPC7uvco8

[Bingo]

I watched the truck come by our place twice the other day. First a truck came by and picked up the black bin, and then awhile later a different truck came for the green bin, and after that truck had left I found bits of kitchen waste...   scattered around the empty bin.    I don't know how long those bins will last, as the lifting mechanism gives the bin a pretty good shake when it empties into the truck.

 

On alternate weeks a different truck comes around for the blue recycling bins.

 

So now you have all these different trucks running around the neighbourhood blocking traffic, and causing extra pollution.

 

Seems to me they could design one truck that comes once every two weeks and takes everything away.

 

Somebody must be getting rich, eh?

 

 

 

 

[sebberry]

It doesn't appear that the lifting mechanism uses the metal bar on the garbage bins. 

 

It looks as if any properly sized bin would work. 

[Bingo]

It doesn't appear that the lifting mechanism uses the metal bar on the garbage bins. 

 

It looks as if any properly sized bin would work. 

 

The tongs give it a great big bin hug, and then flop it up into the truck. The metal bar needs to be facing the truck, otherwise the lid on the bin does not open the properly.

And if the bin is too far away from the road, the tongs can't grab the thing.

It's all about the TONGS..

 

 

[Dimitrios]

It doesn't appear that the lifting mechanism uses the metal bar on the garbage bins. 

 

It looks as if any properly sized bin would work. 

Agreed. I found myself strangely disappointed how low-tech the operation looked. I mean, the extending arm is pretty fancy and  the procedure seemed to work efficiently, but the metal bar sure looks like something purpose-built for some machine somewhere.

[lanforod]

Due to the mixup with my lid I know there is a company in Texas with the same bins. Perhaps theirs use the bars.
The shaking is sure needed. My green bin has not yet been 100% emptied yet, the grass at the bottom doesn't make it out.

[Holden West]

 My green bin has not yet been 100% emptied yet, the grass at the bottom doesn't make it out.

 

The first thing I put in is some branches or shrubbery clippings. That prevents clippings and gunk from sticking directly to the bottom. I give the inside a quick spray with the hose afterwards. Still, this thing is going to get ripe in the summer.

[Mike K.]

So Saanich allows lawn clippings and garden waste? Victoria says houseplants are cool but not garden waste.

[jonny]

That's funny. In my experience lawn clippings make fantastic compost as they are soft and break down quickly.

[Holden West]

So Saanich allows lawn clippings and garden waste? Victoria says houseplants are cool but not garden waste.

 

Saanich says basically everything but giant branches, soil, root balls and "invasive species" which I guess rules out scotch broom and ivy.

[Szeven]

I crammed in a bunch of blackberry branches I ripped out without issue fwiw

[Holden West]

^Well, yeah, they don't inspect the bins so it's possible to put anything in the bin, including Jimmy Hoffa but they'd rather you stick to the permitted items.

 

If it weren't for the yard waste, our bin would never be even half full, even with militant organics policing and a large household. Our garbage bin on the other hand, is full. Mind you, there's baby in the house and the mother balked at Saanich's suggestion of separately scraping off diaper "organics" into the green bin.

[LocalMom]

If it weren't for the yard waste, our bin would never be even half full, even with militant organics policing and a large household. Our garbage bin on the other hand, is full. Mind you, there's baby in the house and the mother balked at Saanich's suggestion of separately scraping off diaper "organics" into the green bin.

I thought no human waste products were allowed (urine, feces, blood) in the green bins?! Heck, no urine, feces or blood of any sort, no?

[Holden West]

^As I understand it, all organics, including any part of, or excretions from a body goes in the bin, as long as it's not either wrapped in plastic or absorbed by something not organic. So, the contents of a diaper, yes, the bloody maxi pad from the bottom of the ground beef package, no. 

 

Now, does that mean that deer you drove over goes in the bin? I don't know, but if you can stuff the antlers in and still close the lid you may be good to go. 

[sebberry]

^As I understand it, all organics, including any part of, or excretions from a body goes in the bin,

 

Guess we don't need to ship medical waste to Oregon for incineration any more. 

[pherthyl]

I thought no human waste products were allowed (urine, feces, blood) in the green bins?! Heck, no urine, feces or blood of any sort, no?

I made a joke about Saanich's policy on "organics" from diapers.. I'm beginning to think people actually believed that is their policy..

Just in case anyone is still confused

Edited by pherthyl, 07 May 2014 - 10:21 AM.

[Bernard]

I find that the volume of my new Saanich garbage bin is more the two bins I used to use.  My own normal household waste would take about two months to fill the bin.  I could easily live with much fewer pick ups.  

 

Given that the bins are all the same size and use an arm to lift the bins, it should be possible to add a sensor that weighs each bin as it is dumped.  This would mean you could charge by the kilo for garbage.   I would also them use GPS software to measure if a house had a pick up or not.  This would allow people to choose to put out their bins or not and be charged based on each pick up.  If you only need a pickup once every six weeks, why pay for ones every two weeks?

 

The new method of dumping the waste should allow for a very precise charge back for the service

 

My compost bin will only fill because of yard waste, it is convenient that I can put the yard waste in

 

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