Metro to Mountain Journal

In our neighborhood Wednesday is the day the city sends a robotic armed mobile trash compactor down our street to empty the huge garbage cans. It’s easy for residence of our fine city: put the trash in the can, roll the can out to the street in the morning and roll the can back in the evening. The refuse just disappears like magic.

There are some basic fundamentals for making the trash collection process work properly.

We have to put the trash into the can - the driver does not get out of the truck to pick up the trash piled beside the can, grab the bag placed instead of the can, or remove the debris strewn across the lawn from the weekend party.

We have to move the can to the street - if we move the can out on any day of the week, it will be emptied on Wednesday; it’s pretty simple and the directions are printed on the lid.

We have to position the can on the street so that the robotic arm can reach it - the operator tries but can’t reach a can set behind a vehicle, or one that is too close to a pole or other can, once again it’s pretty simple and the directions are printed on the lid.

And finally we have to roll the can back to our personal collection area - the can will remain on the street until it is moved.

If you are confused by the procedures, just watch a neighbor.