City considers automated garbage collection, keeps backyard pickup

Facing growing safety risks and competition for workers, Morganton officials are considering a new mechanically assisted garbage collection system that would cost residents an extra $2 per month while preserving one of the city’s most distinctive services, backyard pickup.

The proposed $2 monthly increase per household would raise the garbage fee to $168 annually. Residents would receive one free 95-gallon roll-out container and pay a certain rate if they need additional containers, though that rate has not yet been decided. The city would test the system in select neighborhoods before deciding on a citywide rollout, though those neighborhoods have not been identified.

If the program moves forward, the city will need to adopt a new ordinance requiring residents who use city garbage services to use standardized containers and outlining rules for the system.

The city citywide rollout would cost over $1 million. In the sanitation budget requests, $420,000 is listed for six garbage trucks and $600,000 for 95-gallon rollout containers for all residential customers. No exact implementation date for the pilot program has been determined, but if funded, Public Works Director Michael Chapman plans to start the pilot in the next couple of months.

The proposed change comes as sanitation workers’ exposure to hazards increases. Annually, the city’s sanitation employees lift more than 6,000 tons of garbage by hand, according to Chapman.

“Over the last five to 10 years, needles have become a big issue, broken glass, sharp metals, unknown bag contents, and animals in garbage containers,” Chapman said. “We’ve had employees get stuck with needles, had employees get cut with broken glass … We’ve also had issues with chemical burns and things like that.”

Chapman said when an employee is stuck by a needle, the process to ensure their health can be lengthy. In some cases, it can involve up to six months of blood tests and doctor visits, posing a significant health risk and liability for the city.

The new trucks would use a hook-and-dump system that lifts and empties containers mechanically, reducing the need for workers to handle garbage directly.

Morganton has offered backyard garbage collection since the 1970s and is one of about five municipalities in North Carolina, including Marion and other smaller communities, that still offer the service. The city intends to maintain backyard pickup even with the new equipment, Chapman said.

He said modernization could help with hiring and retention as Morganton competes with other municipalities and private companies that already use automated systems.

“We’re in competition with other municipalities and also private industry … Other folks may have an automated system or a mechanical system, and they pay roughly about the same thing. So, if you’re an employee and you want to be in a sanitation job, that’s the easier route,” Chapman said.

The pilot would distribute 150 City of Morganton garbage containers throughout small neighborhoods to test logistics, route compatibility, resident experience, and equipment performance before citywide implementation. The containers would be assigned serial numbers and tracked by address. The rollout would also be phased, so that existing equipment can be used throughout the pilot program.

“We feel that this is a good investment for the city’s future to enhance safety, address hiring, and retention challenges,” Chapman said. “It’s an upgrade and modernizing our equipment, while still providing the same backyard service.”