COLUMBUS: New waste collection policy coming in September, city says current collection system is ‘inefficient’

COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — Columbus Consolidated Government has announced significant changes to waste collection in the city.

Beginning Sept. 9, CCG says all household waste must be in a city issued black or brown cart. All bulk waste not in the city issues carts will require citizens to call 311 to schedule a pickup.

The City says pickups can be scheduled on the same day as regular household waste pickup days or on a different day.

According to CCG, the change was made in an effort to eliminate the need for a second truck to pickup trash the automated garbage truck is unable to collect. In addition to a more efficient collection system, it will allow the drivers of the second truck to return to yard waste collection, resulting in the elimination of waste collection drivers working six days per week

The City claims the current collection system is inefficient, expensive, and exhausting to waste collection workers.

It hopes the new system will allow the Waste Collection division to implement a better working standard that allows workers to spend more time with their families.

CCG says those who have requested to purchase a brown cart will receive them in the coming weeks. The $55 cost for the cart will be added to a future water bill from the Columbus Water Works.

A change is also being made to yard waste pickup.

The City says there will be no more residential yard waste pickups on Wednesdays or Saturdays. Beginning Sept. 9, all yard waste will be collected on normal pickups days.

If your original day was on Monday or Tuesday, your collection day will return to a Monday or Tuesday. If your original day was on Thursday or Friday, your collection day will return to Thursday or Friday.

Bulk solid waste as well as bulk yard waste/large piles will require a call to 311 to schedule a pickup. If the bulk yard waste is a cut down tree, a request for a Tree for Fee pick up is required. CCG says its policy does not allow this type of collection without the resident requesting and authorizing the Tree for Fee Collection.

According to CCG, each load will cost $50 plus the cumulative weight of each load at $34 per ton.

Qualified low-income residents who have applied and been approved, based on Federal
Government Poverty Guidelines, will be eligible for a brown city issued household waste
cart at no additional cost.

Residents who need a second cart are asked to call 311. The cart is not transferrable and will be retrieved if the non-transferrable cart policy is violated.

The city says it has ordered more waste carts and plans to implement a yard waste cart system when the carts are received.

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