It has been over a week since delivery of the blue recycling bins started, and the City of Airdrie couldn't be more pleased with how things are going.

Susan Grimm, Team Leader of Waste and Recycling for the City, says that approximately 800 bins are being delivered a day, and about 5,500 have been delivered as of today (March 10).

Some have noticed that there doesn't appear to be a method for which areas receive the bins when. One street will receive their bins, while a neighbouring street is still waiting. Grimm said they left the delivery schedule to the discretion of the contractor, with only one request.

"We gave them a list of which areas receive garbage and organics pickup on which days, and we just requested that they not be in the area delivering carts on that same day so we're avoiding the traffic congestion."

The City also instructed that all the bins be delivered before the end of March, in time for the recycling program to start on April 3.

There has also been some concern that the lids of the blue bins are misshapen and don't fully close, leading to questions about defective lids and possible fines.

Grimm reiterated what was posted on Facebook by the City: The lids are tightly packed during transportation from the U.S., and sit for days on cold trucks. Once they are attached to the bins, they are slightly warped and will likely remain that way until the weather warms up, at which point they should reform and close properly.

"I would say if, by the end of May, people are still having issues with their lids, then I would suggest they give us a call and we can look and see if it's an actual defect."

As for fines, Grimm explained that that is a separate issue.

"The fines are in place for people that are repetitively doing what they potentially shouldn't be doing, and the whole purpose of us wanting to make sure that the lids are close, is because if the lids are open, than recycling is blowing all over the street and making a mess."

The fines are directed at people that consistently have the bins completely open at the curb on delivery day, not at people whose bins are slightly open throughout the week.

 

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