Ask Auntie, CNS Local Life, Caymanian status

I have noticed a few things when the garbage trucks come in the morning to pick up the trash in my neighbourhood. If the trash bins are not outside the enclosure, they don’t bother emptying them and if they do, they don’t put them back where they belong and instead just leave them lying around by the side of the road, which can be dangerous as they sometimes get blown away or roll over to the middle of the road.

I have also noticed that they won’t clear up the trash if they are not in plastic bags. Can anyone confirm if this happens everywhere or is it just in my neighbourhood? Is there anything that can be done?


Auntie’s answer: I really don’t think it’s unreasonable for the Department of Environmental Health to insist on a few rules for the public when it comes to garbage collection. In my view, it’s a hard enough job without having to deal with unbagged garbage flying about or strewn around by feral dogs, or inaccessible bins.

In response to your questions, a spokesperson from the DEH said the department “is committed to providing collection services to each residence on its various collection routes. We, however, ask residents to ensure that garbage is packaged, contained and stored in an area that allows us to provide timely and efficient service to all.”

In response to your questions, the spokesperson said that DEH collectors should remove garbage containers from enclosures once residents have met  the following conditions:

  • Placed containers or bags for collection in front of or at the side of premises on streets abutting the premises or in such other place as may be approved by the DEH;
  • Ensured that an enclosure that is 3ft or higher has a door;
  • Ensured that a household garbage container has a capacity of 33 gallons and each garbage bag weighs 40 pounds or less. 

The Public Health Regulations also state that it is the residents’ responsibility to remove containers from streets after collection. They must also ensure that the containers are DEH-approved, which I imagine covers all standard garbage bins. However, commercial establishments and residents with small volumes of garbage, plastic bags with openings securely tied, with wet garbage wrapped in several thickness of paper, may be used in lieu of containers.

The spokesperson added, “It is customary for DEH collectors to affix a Collection Refusal Notice to the enclosure, receptacle or in any other conspicuous area if the resident does not meet these conditions. The notice indicates the reason why garbage was not collected.”

If residents have conformed to all the conditions but their garbage remains uncollected, they should contact the DEH by phone at 949-6696 or by email at dehcustomerservice@gov.ky.

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