As the City of Edmonton considers using technology to help collect garbage, a local sanitation worker says the move would make his job safer.
Vance Peden has been a waste collector for 10 years. He goes to roughly 1,000 homes every day—each of them a potential hazard.
“It’s a really challenging job in a lot of aspects that people don’t really realize,” Peden told CTV News.
“In the new subdivision they have sumps that run water out on the front street. They have ice on their sidewalks and when we get snow and we don’t see it, it’s really a tripping, slipping hazard.”
Another danger: glass. Peden has cut his hand.
“People like to put glass in bags … We have glass sticking up [and] we don’t see it. It punctures your hand, or if you throw the bag, it punctures your leg.”
The city is considering implementing a new system where bins are picked up by the truck—and the driver would not have to leave the truck.
“It would help out a lot it would cut down on injuries; it would help on the recycle aspect of it. There’s lots of benefits going in that direction.”
Edmontonians are encouraged to attend drop-in public sessions to give their input and learn about proper practices, and fill out this online survey by November 10.
“Everyone thinks it’s such an easy job because you work for the city, but no,” Peden said. “I bet you if a lot of people came and sat in my shoes for a day they’d maybe last a block.”
With files from Nicole Weisberg
