Calgary garbage pick-up

[RoadGame]

I recently moved back to Calgary after 9 years away, and am a bit puzzled over an aspect of this new-fangled standardized bin system. Specifically, it seems like my bin is never completely emptied (more like 50%), and I'm trying to figure out if the guy who drives my route is rushing or if I'm loading the bin incorrectly. One time I was working in my backyard when he came by and I watched him do his thing. The bin was inverted very quickly but lingered directly upside-down for less than a second before getting returned to its original position just as quickly. I'm now trying to make sure each of my bags has some weight and that the outsides aren't sticky at all.

Does this experience sound familiar to anyone? Is this normal or is my guy rushing it? Do the drivers have any control over how long the bins stay inverted or is it all done automatically? I'm sure the route is long enough that an extra second or two for each bin would add up to a lot, but it's kind of gross to have the garbage at the bottom of the bin fester week after week.

[IntenseFan]

I am not sure if the driver has any cotnrol over the inversion time or not, but I can tell you I've had the same experience, mostly for the blue bins where particular items, like collapsed cardboard boxes, aren't that heavy and therefore can stick against the inside walls. Sometimes they will not be fully emptied.

I think your strategy is correct in ensuring your bags are weighed and keeping the outsides clean.

[Rathji]

We had a period, in the last couple years, where the contents of the bottom half of my black can froze together and would not empty for a month or so.

It was a crazy game of trying to get it chipped out until we hatched a plan of having 2 pots of hot water ready on Friday morning. When we saw the garbage truck coming, we rushed out and dumped the water in, hoping it would work, but no luck. We then repeated the process and dragged it across the alley while the truck waited for us. Luckily it finally worked.

Anyway, I realize it isn't winter, but I would suggest putting some water in, to help loosen things up and maybe give the stuff on the bottom a bit of weight.

[Yoho]

It seems like every second week they forget to pick up the houses on my side of the street black garbage bins, and someone has to call 311 to get them to come the next day

[Nyah]

Originally Posted by Yoho

It seems like every second week they forget to pick up the houses on my side of the street black garbage bins, and someone has to call 311 to get them to come the next day

That was like my street with the blue bins. It seemed like they would grab every 2nd or third house. If it looked full, they stopped but if it didn't, they wouldn't bother until the next week. I think someone finally complained because they seem pretty consistent now.

As far as the original problem, have you tried taking out the bags and putting them back in? Sometimes if you put something heavy on top, the bags at the bottom get jammed in and you just have to move things around a bit.

[Jimmy Stang]

My blue and black bins seem to get emptied fully each week. It doesn't seem to matter how full they are or what's in them - they're always empty after the truck has been past.

[BlackArcher101]

I've watched the guy in my neighborhood and it appears he does have full control. Some of them he watches the progress and will give it extra shakes when vertical to get everything out.

Sounds like your garbage man hasn't been tipped in a while.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I've watched the guy in my neighborhood and it appears he does have full control. Some of them he watches the progress and will give it extra shakes when vertical to get everything out.

Sounds like your garbage man hasn't been tipped in a while.

Yeah, I think it's always wise to give them a tip at Christmas. I usually give mine $20.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I've watched the guy in my neighborhood and it appears he does have full control. Some of them he watches the progress and will give it extra shakes when vertical to get everything out.

Sounds like your garbage man hasn't been tipped in a while.

Yeah, save your empties for xmas.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Reaper

Yeah, save your empties for xmas.

What can go into the blue bins?

Can yard waste like tree branches and grass go in?

I have a pile of tree branches from a bout of pruning but my my calculations it would take until February of weekly garbage pickups before it would all be taken away. If I could use the blue bin as well that would help immensely.

Other than that I think I am hooped and have to go to the dump

[cal_guy]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

What can go into the blue bins?

Can yard waste like tree branches and grass go in?

I have a pile of tree branches from a bout of pruning but my my calculations it would take until February of weekly garbage pickups before it would all be taken away. If I could use the blue bin as well that would help immensely.

Other than that I think I am hooped and have to go to the dump

If your garbage bin is full you can place bags a short distance away from the bin and they'll pick it up. Make sure your bin is full though.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

Yeah, I think it's always wise to give them a tip at Christmas. I usually give mine $20.

I've never even see my garbage man. I've heard the truck at 7am.

[jayswin]

On that note, I've seen a couple of people mention they get recycling and garbage pick up once a week? Where are you guys? Is garbage pick up not once every two weeks everywhere in the city. Am I getting screwed? Because it sure as hell is annoying some weeks.

[albertGQ]

My garbage and recycling gets picked up every Thursday.

[Trojan97]

How do people tip their driver? are they waiting outside for him?

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Trojan97

How do people tip their driver? are they waiting outside for him?

When you figure out his schedule, you just run out and hand him the tip. When there were two guys on garbage trucks, I tipped them both, and they were always really good at picking up whatever I left out...sometimes many bags after I cleaned the garage, yard, etc. Actually I kind of miss the old system.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Trojan97

How do people tip their driver? are they waiting outside for him?

Instead of putting your empties inside the blue bin you just leave the bag outside for your garbage man.

[flamesrule14]

I used to work as a Garbage man in Edmonton and we'd be fired on the spot if we were found taking empties. Might be different in Calgary, but leaving empties might not be the best way to tip. Typically people taped envelopes with cash or gift cards to one of the garbage bags. People often left boxes of chocolates and even liquor sometimes as well. If you know their schedule meeting them is the best way to insure they receive whatever it is you want to tip them.

[Northendzone]

I don't believe that tree branches and yard waste are recyclable via the blue bin.

On weeks where part of your garbage has been left behind in your bin, give it a stir and try and loosens it up a bit and try not to pack the bin during the week.


As for tipping your driver, I think you would have to give them an envelope directly.mmas I used to play hockey with a guy that was a garbage an, and he told me that anything in the garbage is the property of the city, and if he was to take anything out of the garbage is was considered stealing from the city and it was grounds for dismissal.

[Canehdianman]

If you are tipping your garbageman, don't forget to tip your lawyer as well!