Automated service takes the place of garbage collectors July 1 in Tarentum

Tarentum residents will say goodbye to their garbage collectors on July 1, when Waste Management rolls out its automated collection system, all but eliminating any personal service that previously was part of the contract.

The biggest difference for residents: no more unlimited trash pickup and only one garbage can per household.

Residents will pay the same amount, about $25 a month.

By now, each property owner should have received one 96-gallon container in which all bags must be placed.

It can hold up to seven typical 13-gallon kitchen trash bags.

“If it’s not in the can, it’s not getting picked up,” council President Scott Dadowski said.

Garbage collectors essentially will be hands-off, with an automated arm on the truck lifting and dumping a container from each property.

Councilwoman Lou Ann Homa said the new cans are computer coded to match each address.

The switch to what Waste Management calls “cart service” came at no choice to the borough, Manager Dwight Boddorf said.

“We put out bids for a new garbage hauler, but we didn’t get any,” he said.

This was the only option to keep costs down and maintain service, he said.

The borough pays about $480,000 a year for garbage hauling. It amounts to about 12% of the budget.

Council was notified last year that Waste Management was not able to extend the borough’s contract for unlimited service because of a lack of drivers.

Erika Deyarmin, spokesperson for Waste Management, said the automated collection requires only one person on each truck.

In most cases, residents should keep placing carts in the same spot where they previously set cans and bags out each week. However, the new system requires about three feet of clearance for the automated arm on the truck to collect the carts.

That appeared to concern several residents who questioned council at recent meetings.

“I have no idea how this is ever gonna fly,” Cynthia Kramer said.

“It makes no sense in our environment, and I suspect we’ll have a lot of garbage sitting around and damaged vehicles. We’re not a community with a bunch of driveways.”

Resident Iola Simon questioned whether the trucks would be able to fit in some of the narrow alleys where many people put garbage out.

“The plan is that they are going to do the best of their ability to pick up cans in the exact space they are now,” Dadowski said.

Boddorf said if the truck can’t access the cart, the company will work around it.

“They are trying to get everything as automated as possible and, where that doesn’t work, they’ll find a way to collect it,” he said.

“We’ve spent the last four months working out the details. It’s a major change and we understand that, but Waste Management was the only company willing to pick up garbage in town.

“There will be bumps in the road, but, whatever happens, we will work through it.”

Dadowski said everyone is asked to try out the large can for a month, even people who don’t think they need one that big.

Residents will have the chance to buy additional containers for $100 each. They also can ask for a smaller cart after a 30-day trial.

Anyone who has not yet received a new cart is instructed to call the borough at 724-224-1818.