Trash answers

As with any change, the new trash system that will be implemented in Cape Girardeau next spring is cause for concern by some residents. City officials say anyone with concerns could get answers to their questions by calling the public works department at 334-9151.

One of the issues that has been raised deals with the size of the containers the city will provide to residential trash customers. One is a 64-gallon bin for trash, and the other is a 96-gallon bin for recyclable items -- both considerably larger than the current 35-gallon containers used by most households. The city says some customers may want smaller containers. Or they may want more than one container. They should let the public works department know that.

The city also will take into consideration the special needs of some residents who may be physically unable to move their containers to the curb. Let the public works department know that.

For residents with access to the Internet, a good overview of the new trash system is available online at semissourian.com. This video shows a truck using robotic arms to pick up the containers and empty them. The truck is shown operating under varying conditions along streets throughout Cape Girardeau.