PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. -- Grabbing trash carts and stopping at every house in Palm Beach Country Estates, workers are making sure homeowners have the right container for their trash pick-up starting Oct. 1
"They are just going to come out, the truck is going to lift them in, and the guys won't have to kill themselves. It's just going to keep the neighborhood cleaner and neater," said homeowner Ken Trapasso.
The new trash carts can hold up to 96 gallons of trash.
Currently the size of neighborhood trash cans varies depending on what type was purchased at a store. But now, more than 200,000 homeowners will have a trash cart.
Paul Gonsalves, the field service manager for the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, said just because the cans will be larger, doesn't mean more trash will end up at the landfill.
"It won't affect our landfill at all just because we have a burn plant and introducing that plant actually extended the landfill life for another 25 years," said Gonsalves.
On Oct. 1, the SWA will start the automated or semi-automated system for trash pick up depending on your neighborhood, and there's a protocol for putting the trash cart at the curb.
Arrows show which way it needs to face the street.
"A lot of residents are calling Solid Waste Authority saying, 'I have a new can now, what do I do with my old one?' We are actually encouraging the residents to use their old can to put your vegetation the leaves the branches and that service won't change. You will still get 6 cubic yards a week for that," Gonsalves said.
Any extra trash carts needed will cost $65.
SWA says it will be adding more drivers with the automated system. The drivers won't have to get out of the truck and lift the carts.
