Waste Management presented the Winters City Council with a vision of the future of waste collection, accountability cameras in Waste Management trucks, literally.
During her presentation at the July 21 City Council meeting, Waste Management representative Kayla Rodriguez cheerfully explained how lucky Winters customers will soon be—They will be among the first in the state to have their garbage filmed and reviewed by trained waste overseers.
The program, called Residential Smart Services Solution, will include cameras in the dump bays of trucks that collect recycling and green waste.
As the truck dumps a resident’s recycling or green waste bin, the camera will record what is being dumped. And, if a greasy pizza box, or plastic bag ends up in the truck’s collection bin, a no-no, the waste overseer will flag that image and the resident will receive a $10.99 surcharge, Rodriguez said.
The new smart truck technology will also be able to take pictures of bins overflowing, that is, the tops not being able to be closed, and the resident will be surcharged.
According to Rodriguez, August and September will be “no charge” months as the program begins it “soft launch” of education of the program and Waste Management bin expectations. Garbage scofflaws will be notified of their rubbish transgressions via email or text.
The cameras, however, allow Waste Management to provide proactive customer service and will help to identify damaged or cracked bins that need to be replaced.
Surcharges will begin to be issued as of Oct. 1, 2020. However, residents will first receive a warning on a first offense, and the surcharge on following offenses.
However, the new program will not apply to those who live in cul de sacs because the house in violation is too hard to identify, for now, Rodriguez reported.
The need for the program is to promote “the elimination of contaminants from recyclables and organics,” Waste Management spokesman Paul T. Rosynsky said.
Winters Express Editor-in-Chief, Crystal Apilado, contributed to this article.
