Beginning June 21 South Portland residents will be part of the second community in Maine with automated trash collection.

The new system will make a more efficient, safer and cleaner trash collection system than is now being used, according to city officials. The program will cost $400,000 to institute but city officials said it would save $120,000 per year in reduced wages, paying for itself within the first few years of operation.

As part of the program, each household will receive a city-owned trash barrel. Most households will receive a 65-gallon container. By contrast regular size trash barrels now used at most homes are 32 or 39 gallons.

However, the city also has 35-gallon and 95-gallon barrels available. People who wish to have one of those larger containers must contact the Public Works Department.

The guidelines outlined in city policy state that a one- or two-person household should use the 35-gallon container, a three- to five-person household should use the 65-gallon container and households with six or more should use the 95-gallon container. Additional containers also will be made available upon request. The Public Works Department will evaluate all requests for larger containers or multiple containers.

Although the containers are city property, residents are responsible for them. If one is damaged by resident neglect they will be responsible for repairing or replacing the item, which will cost $35 to $55, depending on the container size. If the city damages the barrel, it will repair it.

If a container is stolen, the resident must fill out a theft report with the police and obtain a copy a completed report, which must be submitted to the Public Works Department in order to receive a new container.

South Portland started receiving the barrels on May 13 and today is receiving two truckloads per day. In total the city will receive 17 trailers containing 9,400 trash barrels.

The barrels will be assembled and delivered to homes beginning Monday, June 6. Included with each barrel will be detailed instructions about the new system.

Once the new system is operational, the city will conduct trash pickup Tuesday through Friday. This will help the city avoid rescheduling pickup dates around the major holidays. Residents who will have their pickup altered will be notified before the new system goes into effect. Those who are not been notified will remain on the same schedule.

The city also has purchased two new trucks for the system. These trucks are specifically designed to pickup the barrels and dump them into the truck. They will require only one operator, although for the first few weeks of the program the city will put two workers on each truck. In addition one of two older trucks will be retrofitted for the automated process.

Tim Gato, operations manager for the city of South Portland, said the new system would allow for a cleaner city. The lid is attached to each barrel, which will stop animals from getting into the garbage. In addition, the weight of the barrels will keep them from being knocked over, he said.

The city also will allow residents to use the transfer facility to dispose of their old barrels for free, if they choose, Gato said.

Except for using the new barrels and some scheduling changes, residents will basically dispose of their trash in the same way. They should place the barrels on a flat surface and in an area three feet from any obstruction such as a parked car, another container, a tree or a fire hydrant.

Only trash inside the container will be picked up. Residents may keep any extra waste until it can fit in the container or bring it to the Transfer Station and pay $1 for a 35-gallon bag or $1.50 for a 55-gallon bag.

The city will give a presentation on the new collection system at the Willard Neighborhood Association meeting that will be held on Thursday, May 19, at 7 p.m. at the Betsy Ross Community Center, 99 Preble Street Extension.

South Portland Public Works Equipment Operator Russ Lunt with the city’s new trash cans, now being stored in the former Armory building.

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