Pacifica's Overweight Garbage Cans Ordered to Lighten Up

I have spoken with the General Manager of Coastside Scavenger regarding this issue. They have discontinued the practice of charging for overweight cans. Now, when a can is overweight, they leave a tag on the can asking the ratepayer to contact their office. They will ask the ratepayer to separate the weight into two cans so that it can be picked up. In consideration of the health and safety of the waste hauler staff member, a can is considered overweight when two of their wastehauler staff members cannot lift the can. Weight limit for a 30 gallon can is 75 lbs. Weight limit for a 20 gallon can is 45 lbs. The General Manager of Coastside Scavenger has offered to put an ad in the newspaper and also in their newsletter that describes this new policy.

Maureen M. Lennon, CCMT
Finance Director/City Treasurer
City of Pacifica
650/738-7395
lennonm@ci.pacifica.ca.us

Comments

[Dixie Conner]

As of May 1st...Coastside Scavenger's website still shows the "weight charge"

http://www.coastsidescavenger.com/rates.html

[todd bray]

That's a really good question that should be put to the City and David Leung of Weights and Measures, which is looking for receipts that show overweight charges. If the county says you can't charge us without weighing the can, how is it different that the workers can determine the can is overweight and red-tag the can? It still is not right. It doesn't make sense. Although for Coastside Scavengers, I'm sure it does make cents.

[Paul Shimer]

If I am notified (or tagged) that my can is overweight (by Coastside Scavengers "Guesstimate") and I indeed separate my trash into two cans - per their instructions - am I then charged for a two-can rate? What Coastside Scavengers is doing is substituting the weight charge for a two-can charge?

Once again, how can a 45lb. can be "overweight" or a safety hazard? It just doesn't make sense.

[Bruce Hotchkiss]

So let me get this straight. If two workers cannot lift the can it is overweight? Is this like an official Weights and Measures measurement? I mean what if they send out two scrawny workers? Shouldn't weight be verifiable, not subjective? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to hurt any worker but why are there two different weights? Do they mean to tell us that two guys can lift 75 lbs., but not 45 lbs. because one amount is in a different size can? Weight is weight. This makes absolutely no sense to me.