Penn Hills residents will receive new trash and recycling carts beginning Dec. 11 to allow for automated pickup.
Each single-family home and duplex will get a wheeled 95-gallon garbage cart and 65-gallon recycling cart free of charge, with additional receptacles available from Republic Services for $85. Council re-contracted with the waste services provider in October for $26.5 million across five years, an $8.7 million increase compared to the previous five-year deal.
The pricier contract will not result in any tax increases as the 2024 draft budget stands. Penn Hills planning director Chris Blackwell said Republic’s bid for manual collection totaled $32 million, making automated pickup the cheapest option available.
“It’s not as significant an increase as it could have been,” Blackwell said. “At some point, we had to make this transition.”
Most other aspects of collection will stay the same, including pickup days, rules about bulk items and the number of items collected. As part of the contract, 20 commercial garbage cans will be installed at bus stops and shelter locations.
Republic’s trucks are already equipped for automated service, meaning that residents can begin using the carts as soon as they get them, according to Republic Services municipal sales manager Renee Shipley.
Several nearby municipalities have switched to automated collection in recent years, including North Huntingdon, Tarentum and O’Hara. By using a mechanical arm instead of manual labor, Shipley said workers reduce their risk of injury and time spent on collection.
“The use of carts that are specifically manufactured for waste collection has proven to have significant benefits for residents and solid waste employees as well,” Shipley said.
The municipality anticipates that automated collection will increase efficiency, promote recycling and reduce litter, Blackwell said. Local governments can receive funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection based on recycling tonnage.
Blackwell added that “the benefits of carts, including ease of use, safety and significant cost savings for the municipality will only be realized if residents use the carts provided.”
The automated arm cannot be used on ordinary cans, as they’re not designed to withstand the pressure of the mechanical arm, Shipley noted.
Residents can learn more via the municipal website, an email from the municipality or by dialing 412-342-1086, option 5.