Smart Collection – FAQ

Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot participes in a smart collection pilot project initiated by the MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, in collaboration with the municipality of Sainte-Marthe.

In Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, 650 residences will be selected in District 1. All blue and black binswill be equipped with RFID transponders.

  • Between October 1 and 5, put your wheeled bins out where they are accessible to the team
    that will come to attach the transponder. A sticker will be placed on the bin when the transponder has been affixed and you can then put it back where you normally store it;
  • Provide your contact information so the project team can reach you;
  • Place your blue or black bin at the curb only when it is full or problematic.

« I would like to thank residents of District 1 for participating in this important pilot project. I believe that the Notre Dame pilot will be successful and that the results will serve as the basis for the successful implementation of smart collection across the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region. »
– 
Danie Deschênes, Mayor, Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot

[toggle title=”Why is the MRC conducting a pilot project?” style=”fancy”]

Since we know that 97% dof the items that residents put in their garbage bins could be composted or recycled,1 there are a number of things that can be done to optimize waste management. By introducing food waste collection this fall, the Vaudreuil Soulanges region will have everything in place to tackle the 97% of items that are incorrectly placed in garbage bins.

The MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges wants to evaluate the benefits of smart collection as a means to encourage residents to sort their waste more effectively and to optimize the costs of the various collections. Ultimately, the purpose of smart collection is to reduce the overall cost of collecting household waste by implementing a tariff system based on the principle of pay as you throw, which rewards residents who adopt good waste management practices. In collaboration with the municipality of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, a pilot project will be implemented in your area (District 1) this fall to evaluate the benefits of this approach.

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[toggle title=”What is smart collection?” style=”fancy”]

The system is referred to as “smart” because it uses infrared radio frequency transponders (RFID chips) to identify wheeled bins. Trucks are equipped
with infrared readers making it possible to measure the number of times garbage bins and recycling bins are emptied.

The goal is to encourage residents to put their blue and black bins out at the curb only when they are full. The fewer times you put the bin at the curb, the less often the truck needs to stop, the more time and money is saved, and the more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are reduced.

  • Smart collection has many benefits:
  • It gives residents flexibility in terms of the frequency of collection;
  • It encourages recycling and composting;
  • It reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill;
  • It optimizes collection operations and thus helps reduce costs;
  • It allows the municipality to track its wheeled bins and waste collection (the truck going by, bin not accessible, bin requiring repair, etc.).

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[toggle title=”How does the pilot project work?” style=”fancy”]

The pilot project involves equipping all black and blue wheeled bins with a transponder and linking the bins to their users. All trucks operating in the pilot project area will be equipped with a RFID reader system to read the bins when they are emptied. Pilot project participants are asked to place their blue or black bin out at the curb only when they are full or problematic.

The pilot project will run for about a year so that the following elements can be evaluated:

  • The average rate of collection of garbage and recycling bins;
  • The quantity of garbage from the pilot area compared to other residents;
  • The factors affecting the use of these good waste management practices;
  • Smart collection tracking technology;
  • The risks of such a system and the ways to mitigate them.

One of the goals of the pilot project is to survey residents on the proposed changes. Your input will help guide decision makers on next steps.

At the end of this period, the data will be analysed and the number of times bins were emptied for each participant will be calculated (blue and black binds only) to determine the pilot project’s results.

We will hold two draws at the end of the pilot project to encourage participation and tangible results:

  • Black bin draw: The draw will be made from among participants who placed their bin out at the curb on average once in every three collections (for example, if there are 30 collections, everyone who put their bin out at least 10 times for collection will be eligible for the draw). Five (5) $100 prizes will be awarded.
  • Blue bin draw: The draw will be made from among participants who placed their bin out at the curb on average once in every two collections (for example, if there are 30 collections, everyone who put their bin out at least 15 times for collection will be eligible for the draw). Five (5) $50 prizes will be awarded.

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[toggle title=”What is my role in this project?” style=”fancy”]

As for the pilot project, all you have to do is:

  • Put your wheeled bins out where they are accessible to the team that will come to attach the transponder between October 1 and 5. A sticker will be placed on the bin when the transponder has been affixed and you can then put it back where you normally store it;
  • Provide your contact information so the project team can reach you;
  • Place your blue or black bin at the curb only when it is full or problematic.

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[toggle title=”What benefit is there to me to participate?” style=”fancy”]

If you are receiving this guide, it is because you live in the area selected for the smart collection pilot project! You therefore have the chance to be the first to test smart collection and be eligible for two draws valued at $100 and $50.

  • Black bin draw: The draw will be made from among participants who placed their bin out at the curb on average once in every three collections (for example, if there are 30 collections, everyone who put their bin out at least 10 times for collection will be eligible for the draw). Five (5) $100 prizes will be awarded.
  • Blue bin draw: The draw will be made from among participants who placed their bin out at the curb on average once in every two collections (for example, if there are 30 collections, everyone who put their bin out at least 15 times for collection will be eligible for the draw). Five (5) $50 prizes will be awarded.

A number of meetings will also take place during the pilot project with participants because we want to hear from you! By attending these meetings, you will be able to offer solutions for implementation across the rest of the MRC. You will also be able to share waste management best practices with your fellow citizens.

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