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News Views: Picking up

Trouble is, the current every-man-for-himself garbage collection system lacks co-ordination.
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If council wants to venture down this road again, it would be wise to look at what other municipalities are doing.

Maple Ridge council, a year ahead of the next municipal election, is again discussing garbage pick-up.

The issue has been a contentious one in the city for several years, especially in newer suburbs, where residents new to Maple Ridge are surprised there is no co-ordinated municipal garbage pick-up here.

There have been numerous cries for the latter, to replace the hodgepodge of afforable private companies that do provide such service.

Trouble is, the current every-man-for-himself system lacks co-ordination.

Some may argue that it lends to illegal dumping.

Others will suggest that having multiple big, smelly garbage trucks frequent their neighbourhoods more than once a week is unnecessary, noisy, and bad for the environment.

And more will say that no one is checking what people are throwing away in their garbage.

Private companies do now offer green-waste services.

And Maple Ridge is served by a top-notch recycling system, with items seperated at the curb to eliminate waste.

But if council wants to venture down this road again, it would be wise to look at what other municipalities are doing, and if the city does move to contracting with one or two collection providers, consider offering the service only every two weeks, to futher encourage recycling – and give the bears a break.

No one is talking about the city buying a fleet of garbage trucks and hiring union staff to work them, or replacing the recycling society.

Rather, the discussion is of the city taking bids from private contractors.

They are already here.

Having a cost-controlled, co-ordinated approach could benefit all, no doubt some more than others come October 2018.

– Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News