City to consider cart system for refuse, recycling collection
By Kris Leonhardt
Editor
MARSHFIELD — A new system supported by the Marshfield Board of Public Works may change the way residents and waste collectors process trash.
The common council will consider the implementation of an automatic pickup system using one-wheeled carts for both garbage and recycling so that workers would not have to leave their trucks to handle individual bins and other items.
“I think it’s just a matter of time,” said Marshfield Public Works Director Dan Knoeck. “The automated carts is the industry standard, and that conversion is going to happen at some point.
“Now, we have heard some concerns from a few folks about questions on how it will work and possible challenges. I think those concerns can be addressed as we would move forward with the cart system because it’s been done in many other communities, and I am sure that we don’t have any unique problems here.”
Concerns include operation during the winter months.
“Anyone with a single driveway will be putting out these two carts, which will be two feet wide, and you have to keep them two feet apart for the mechanism to operate. That’s six feet,” said Alderman Chris Jockheck. “Just walking around my district, I know quite a few people that are going to be challenged in locating these carts in an area where they can be picked up and they have access to their driveway.
“I just envision this in the middle of winter, and I know that we have this nice brochure, (and) pictures are of summertime. They are on grass. I don’t see any with six months of snow. So come January with 20 inches of snow or so (and) no place to put these on a flat surface, what do we do?”
Converting to a cart system will be considered at a future Marshfield Common Council meeting.
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