St. John’s will be adopting automated garbage collection within a year. In an automated garbage collection system, residents put their garbage bags in bins, instead of under nets. The city will supply all residents with their very own 240-litre garbage bin, specifically designed so that garbage trucks, equipped with robotic arms, can grab, tip, and empty these bins.

It was announced yesterday that a round of public engagement decided a medium sized bin would be ideal; these will hold up to 4 regular sized bags of garbage. These new garbage bins will mean the end of having to cover our garbage bags with fousty blankets or nets on garbage day.

Just this week, in a council meeting, the mayor himself said garbage nets are ineffective against gulls and rodents. Because these new bins are rodent and gull proof, maybe even Newfoundland-wind proof, you can simply toss your garbage bags into them whenever the bags are full. That means no more covering a pile of garbage bags with a smelly garbage net while donning your PJs in front of neighbours at 7am.

Full details on which collection areas will be included in the first phase of the automated garbage program will be shared prior to implementation in 2018. Residents of downtown might not be part of the automated garbage collection plan.