Greensboro homeowners adjust to new yard waste collection program - WGHP FOX8 Greensboro

Greensboro homeowners adjust to new yard waste collection program | FOX8 WGHP

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — The city of Greensboro no longer offers loose leaf pick-up and instead offers purchased 95-gallon containers to use year-round for yard waste collection.

The new containers were dropped off at homes about two months ahead of schedule, and the pick-up is in full swing.

There’s been a learning curve for everybody involved. Overall, the first full week of the new yard waste collection system went well. People who have used the new containers told FOX8 hat the process is clean, easy and it’s efficient. All those words are exactly what the city hoped would describe this new system.

“Street by street, crews search for the new gray containers. Then workers take the containers … pull the lever to dump the yard waste into the truck. The reason it’s not done by hand is for employee safety since you can put up to 200 hundred pounds of yard waste inside,” said Griffin Hatchell, the solid waste collections manager for the city of Greensboro.

After a few days, the new system is already paying off.

“Overall, their bodies are not sore and hurting … For the longevity of our employees, it is really key to make sure they are safe through this whole process because this is labor intensive,” Hatchell said.

He has been leaving notes to let people know when something at the curb is not correct, including plastic instead of paper bags, personal containers instead of the city-issued container and lids not being fully closed.

Nothing can stick out for safety reasons. If it rains, the water has nowhere to drain out.

Longtime homeowners are also adjusting to the change.

“When I first heard that we were going to get these big cans to put our yard waste in, I was a little concerned,” said Harold Lewis.

He said that once his container arrived and he realized how much fit, it eased his mind.

“I think that as time goes on, it is going to maybe tell a little different story until we actually go through a complete cycle to see how things will work,” Lewis said.

Before the leaves hit the ground this fall, the city wants to educate and work with residents to get any concerns sorted out.

“A concern or there is an issue: 373-CITY. When people put stuff up on social media, it is really hard to find out what address you are at … Instead of going on social media if you don’t mind, please call 373-CITY to address your concern promptly and effectively,” Hatchell said.

Right now, the city is still collecting yard waste from personal containers, but that stops on July 1.

They need you to use a city-issued container that they left at your curb. If you still need some more space, you can always use biodegradable paper bags for the rest of your yard waste.

Click here for more information.