How to properly place your new carts at the curb

It’s time for a change as the City of Barrie’s new automated cart collection program ramps up.

If you’re putting out the trash this week in Barrie, things may look a little different at the curb.

The city has rolled out its new automated cart collection program, which means residents are now using large, wheeled carts for garbage and organics pickup. The change is designed to make collection safer and more efficient, but it also comes with a few rules residents need to keep in mind.

The big difference is that trucks equipped with mechanical arms will now lift and empty the carts instead of workers doing it by hand. That means the carts need to be placed carefully at the curb, with at least a metre of space on all sides so the arm can grab them. City officials say carts should be lined up with the arrows on the lid pointing toward the street and the wheels facing the house.

The organics cart is equipped with a gravity lock to secure material and keep out wildlife. When set at the curb, make sure the lid is locked. The lock opens automatically when the cart is dumped into the collection vehicle.

Collection days and sorting rules haven’t changed, but residents are being asked to set carts out no later than 7 a.m. on their regular pickup day and to bring them back in once collection is finished. Overflow bags left outside the carts will not be picked up, so the city is reminding people to make sure lids can close completely.

The new system is part of a long-term effort to reduce workplace injuries for collection crews and to improve waste diversion. Similar programs are already in place in other Ontario cities.

Barrie delivered the new carts to households over the summer, with different sizes available for garbage and organics. Residents can swap sizes later if they find the cart they chose isn’t the right fit.

Officials expect the first few weeks may take some getting used to, but the goal is a smoother, safer and more environmentally friendly waste program.