In addition to receiving two 95-gallon carts this week, each Kamsack household with a water meter is receiving a 10-page document from the town office that was designed to inform all residents about the change to the new system of recycling and waste management in the community.
Changes being implemented in October, which includes the distribution of a blue cart for recycling and a black cart for garbage, “will help promote recycling, which in turn will extend the life of our current landfill,” the document says.
“Each cart has a serial number assigning it to a particular house and the property owner is responsible for the cart,” it says. “If these carts go missing or are badly damaged, the town will be charged $100 per cart and will pass the charge back to the homeowner. Serial numbers and carts are verified every week when the garbage or recycling cart is picked up.
“There will no longer be back alley pickup of garbage, except for the spring and fall compost and yard cleanup,” it says. “Garbage and recycling carts should be moved to the street by 6 a.m. (or the night before) on your assigned day and moved back to your house by the end of day.
“Garbage and recycling will be picked up on alternate weeks; one week you will put out the recycle cart, the following week, the garbage cart.”
The information included a map listing days and dates of pickup and calendars for each pickup area.
Accepted items in the blue recycle bins include: paper products and envelopes, newspapers and magazines, flattened cardboard and box board, brown paper bags and bagged shredded paper. One may also deposit clean tin and aluminium beverage cans, clean drink boxes, clean milk cartons and plastic drink bottles with the cap removed.
The blue bins can also accept plastic shopping bags, if bagged, clean plastic containers, either for foods or for such items as mouthwash, shampoo, bleach and household cleaners.
The information says the carts will be monitored. They must be closed and all items must be inside the carts.
“If you put something in that is not allowed, the town  will be penalized and these costs will be passed on to the taxpayer.”
Among items not accepted in the recycle containers are: glass, black plastic, aerosol cans, batteries, lighters, metal, paint, electronics and hazardous materials. A complete list is included in the document.
All items placed in the black garbage bins must be bagged, it says. Accepted in the black garbage bins will be all glass, aerosol cans, lighters, light bulbs, food waste and table scarps, plastics that are not containers and paper and plastic drinking cups. Again, a complete list of what is accepted and what is not accepted is included in the document.
“Your cart is designed to be impervious to animal infiltration,” it says. “The cart is very stable, which makes it virtually impossible to tip over. In addition the lid is attached to the cart and fits snugly over the contents. The lid will not blow off in high wind conditions. When emptying, trash slides out very easily, if bagged and not packed in tightly, assuring that all the contents go into the truck. The smoothness of the container also makes for easy cleaning using soap and water, thus eliminating odours.
“The containers are equipped with large, easy rolling wheels, which allow them to be easily moved to the street providing easy access for pickup.”
Collection days are Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The information outlines the ideal locations of the carts, how to get around snow banks and how to manoeuvre around parked cars. It includes information on where to recycle items not acceptable in the bins and guidelines for recycling at SARCAN.
The information package also includes information on the Kamsack landfill, what is accepted and what is not accepted at that facility, the hours it is open and the fees being charged.
