The official rules for the new trash carts

By John Sharp

Most south KCMO residents who have had their new city wheeled and lidded trash carts delivered since delivery began in May appear to really like the fact that they can hold much more trash than the two-bag limit without charge the city previously enforced.

Many residents also have commented about how pleased they are that dogs and wild animals such as raccoons can no longer tear open trash bags that are now inside the carts to get to food scraps as happened fairly frequently in some areas of the southland.

However, a lack of knowledge about the specific rules for using the carts and inconsistencies about how the rules are enforced has resulted in many peoples’ trash not being picked up some weeks.

To assure more residents can consistently benefit from the new carts as they are delivered throughout the city which should be completed in September, Louis Cummings, solid waste manager for the City Public Works Department, spelled out the rules for using the carts in a recent interview.

Cummings reminded residents that the carts should be placed curbside by 7 a.m. on their weekly trash days, and their trash carts and recycling carts should be at least three feet apart and at least three feet away from any bulky items scheduled for pickup with the cart handles facing the house and the lids fully closed.

Residents that have received their trash carts may no longer just put trash bags curbside for pickup.

On some routes city crews are emptying the trash carts which should not weigh over 250 pounds even if their lids aren’t fully closed due to the volume of trash bags they contain, but crews on other routes don’t empty those carts. 

Cummings said if a trash bag is sitting on top of a closed trash cart lid city crews will not empty the cart. 

The safest way to ensure trash carts will be emptied is to only put the number of bags in them that allow their lids to be fully closed.  The bags should always be sealed, and no loose trash should be put in the carts.

Residents may set out up to two additional trash bags curbside weighing no more than 40 pounds each, but they must have excess trash tags which cost $2.50 and may be purchased at designated Price Chopper and Westlake ACE Hardware stores in the city.

Cummings noted that all city trash trucks that service the trash carts and contractors’ trucks that service the recycling carts are equipped with cart tippers on the back of the trucks that the city expects crews to use to empty the carts.  Now many crews simply pick up the carts and empty them in the back of the trucks by hand to save time which can increase the risk of injuries if the carts are overweight. 

Residents that have health issues that prevent them from taking their trash to the curb may opt out of using trash carts and can have it picked up by their front door or garage door, Cummings said, but will need to submit a statement from their doctor to the city.  He said they may call 311 for instructions.