Talking Trash

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

What happens when your paper recycling cart is damaged?

December 2, 2010: updated post with Montgomery County Customer Service phone number.

Let’s face it. Recycling containers get a workout. Your paper recycling cart may develop a broken

• lid
• lift bar
• wheel, or
  
• body

What happens next? Call us at 240-777-6410 Montgomery County's Customer Service Center at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556) for a repair. Our Customer Service staff will schedule a Friday appointment with you.

If we receive your request before 2 p.m. on Thursday, we can add you to our list for that week.  Otherwise, we'll give you an appointment for Friday of the next week.

What’s special about carts and Fridays? It’s our cart repair day! If the problem(s) can be fixed, we’ll do that. And, if the cart is beyond repair, we’ll give you a replacement.

We ask you to set your cart at the curb empty. This allows our staff to work on your cart easily. A full cart can weigh over 200 pounds, which is why recycling collection vehicles have a mechanical lift to empty them. Our cart-repairers do not have lifts or the truck they would need to transport any paper they took with them.

When arriving at your address, we first assess the “patient.” This cart has two problems. Can you spot them?

Photo credit: R. Birndorf

After the diagnosis, surgery begins!

Photo credit: R. Birndorf

First, the team gives the lid hinge a new pin.

Photo credit: R. Birndorf

The mechanical lift hooks on to the metal bar on the front of the cart. Remember how heavy those full carts can be? Sometimes, the lift bar simply starts to give. Here, it’s swapped out for a new, straight bar.

Photo credit: J. Buhl

Voila! This cart is good as new, ready to receive many more pounds of paper from its owners!

Photo credit: J. Buhl

--posted by Susanne

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