Wadesboro residents using the town’s trash collection service will receive new receptacles as the next step in the town’s transition to using a mechanical garbage truck.

The new truck will be equipped with a mechanical arm that will dump the waste from residents’ new 96 gallon garbage carts.

Each customer will receive one trash cart for no additional cost on their bill, and a second can be purchased at-cost from the town hall if needed. Some residents will see their new receptacles sooner than others, as it will likely be several months before the town can distribute the carts to all customers, according to a release from the town.

The mechanical arm is expected to have a variety of benefits both for town workers and area residents.

“Anticipated benefits of this new collection method include increasing operational efficiency which should allow more manpower to be dedicated to other services, such as limb pickup and street maintenance, reducing staff injuries and associated costs by reducing physical handling of trash, reducing litter by preventing more animals from getting into trash, and enhancing aesthetics by having uniform trash carts town wide,” the release said.

Town manager Alex Sewell said he was eager to begin the process.

“We’re excited to get started for our customers,” he said in the release. “Thank you to the town council for striving to enhance services, to Pee Dee Electric for providing financial support to make this a reality, town staff for working hard on this project, and most importantly, the citizens.”

The council discussed the garbage policy extensively during its annual retreat last March, when it voted to use green trash carts.

Hugh James, the town’s public services director, included instructions for the carts in the release.

“The town asks each cart be placed facing the street by 7 a.m. on pickup day about four feet away from any obstruction like a car or mailbox,” he said. “This will allow our staff to spend less time on trash pickup and more time enhancing other services. Customers receiving assisted pickup due to a physical disability should continue to follow the same procedures.”

Anyone with questions about the process can consult an informational pamphlet that will accompany the carts, visit the town’s website for examples with pictures at townofwadesboro.com/publicworks or call the town hall at 704-694-5171.

Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.

By Imari Scarbrough

iscarbrough@civitasmedia.com