Staffing, volume of material, delaying some spring cleanup collection

Some Prince Edward Islanders are still waiting for the final spring collection of yard debris, but it should be complete by the end of this week, says Island Waste Management Corporation.

Heather Myers, disposal manager for IWMC, said a couple of factors have led to some Islanders still waiting for that last yard debris collection.

"There are staffing challenges across the Island," said Myers.

"It depends too, if there's a driver on a route where there's a lot of material put curbside, the truck filled up too quickly, had to make a trip to a final disposal facility and then try to go back out, it can put them behind."

Staffing challenges are especially a concern in Prince County, but there are issues in areas across the Island, she said.

IWMC had three weeks of spring cleanup this month, with no limit on what could be placed curbside. There was yard debris collection the week of May 6, waste collection the week of May 13 and a second yard debris collection May 20.

In some cases, people may be putting inappropriate material curbside, said Myers, and so it is not collected.

For example, she said, tires are never collected at the curb but must be delivered to an IWMC disposal site or a business with a special disposal bin. Some people put out metal items as waste, she said, but those items are actually for recycling. If they are left curbside they will be collected on the regular recycling day, she said.