Community Corner

An Early Look at Greenfield's New Garbage Routine

Recent changes are taking some getting used to by some residents.

After fielding a few questions from Greenfield Patch users regarding the City of Greenfield’s , we thought it was a good time to check in with Director of Neighborhood Services Rick Sokol and get his take on John’s first thee weeks on the job.

Sokol said his department has fielded calls from residents with questions and comments, and added he expected that since until Jan. 1, garbage collection had been done the same way for five decades.

“We’ve actually heard some compliments about how well things are working, and how much cleaner our neighborhoods are looking, too,” Sokol said.

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Greenfield Patch asked Sokol three commonly asked questions, for this Q & A:

Greenfield Patch: Is John's still working out the kinks as far as getting the route done in a timely fashion?

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Rick Sokol: Yes, Johns is getting the job done in a timely fashion. They are deploying people and trucks differently than Veolia did, and that means the collection day is longer. Many residents are getting their trash out well after 7 a.m., too late in many situations. Generally collection occurs between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. We encourage people to place the new carts out the night before. For years our residents have resisted that because animals would tear open bags and topple over uncovered containers over night. If the lid is closed, there should be no significant concern about animals making a mess overnight with our new carts. Residents also need to remember to recycle all they can to keep trash out of the landfill.

GP: If cans are facing the wrong direction, is a residence skipped?

RS: No. For now the driver will move the cart and empty it. If the issue persists, however, the driver will leave a check note indicating the problem. Safety of the driver, and efficiency of the operation dictate that the driver should stay inside the truck with all carts correctly positioned.  Cart handles and wheels should face away from the street. Carts should be 6 feet from other objects.

GP: Is there a city ordinance that requires homeowners to bring in empty cans in a reasonable amount of time?

RS: Section 12.12 (25) d of the city’s Municipal Code says that garbage can not be placed at the curb before 6 p.m. the night before scheduled collection, and empty containers must be removed from the curb before 6 p.m. on the day of collection. The city does not have the resources to proactively enforce that rule.


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