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Timmins tries to tackle delays in garbage, recycling collection

COVID-19 changing garbage, recycling rules
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Mechanical breakdowns and trucks on backorder are behind recent delays in collecting garbage and recycling, the City of Timmins said Friday.

The city said trouble started the end of April when mechanical issues began to plague waste collection trucks.

"With three garbage trucks beyond end of life, keeping these vehicles on the road has become a challenge," the city said in a news release.

The problem is that two new trucks ordered in 2020 still haven't been delivered because of supply chain issues.

“We are looking at rental options for collection trucks and relying heavily on contractors to complete waste and recycling schedules,” Scott Tam, manager of environmental services, said in the release.

“It really has been a perfect storm with limited heavy-duty mechanics available to work on our trucks while we wait for our two new vehicles to arrive. As of right now, we do not have a date of delivery.”

The City has been posting a notice of disruption online when there are delays, but Service Timmins has still seen an increase in calls from people wondering what's going on.

“Our staff have been addressing concerns about garbage pick-up, primarily with how late collection is occurring,” Jennifer Chilton, manager of Service Timmins, said in the release.

“It’s spring and we have seen an increase in bear activity. People want to secure their bins. We are in constant contact with waste management to stay up-to-date on collection times and areas experiencing delays.”

The city is currently paying contractors to help, but there will still be delays while new contractors are added to the rotation.

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