By David Meade
Town of Williamston Street Department employees began distributing new trash receptacle bins to residents in Ward One last week. The green 96 gallon capacity containers, which have the Town logo imprinted in white on the side, will be distributed to every residential customer as they are delivered to the town, according to Street Dept. Head David Rogers.
The first order of 357 arrived last week and town employees loaded 51 on the truck for the first round of distribution which began last Friday.
The containers are made in the USA in Statesville, North Carolina and the plastic wheels are made by a local factory near where the containers are made, Rogers said.
The new containers will be used with a new automated packer truck which is expected to be here in November.
Rogers said the new containers “Make it easier to dump into the truck and makes the town look neater and more uniform.”
Residents are reminded to put the cart beside or behind the house within twentyfour hours of trash pickup.
Trash pickup schedules will remain the same, he said.
Williamston Mayor Mack Durham said the new trash ordinance with guidelines for the receptacles will be discussed at the council worksession next week.
It will be discussed and voted on at the next council meeting Nov. 4.
The mayor said the ordinance will be similar to the town’s current ordinance on the books.
“I’m excited,” the mayor said. “This standardizes collection and makes a safer environment for our emloyees.”
The mayor said residents currently have a variety of containers, including 55 gallon drums, which he said are extremely heavy if rain collects in them.
He said the new tipper cart receptacles will be used in conjunction with a new packer truck coming in November as part of the town’s capital improvement plan.
Durham said he expects the new bins and truck will allow the town to operate more efficiently.
Routes and pickup schedules will remain the same, he said.
All residents should have their new trash bin by the end of the year, according to Rogers.
