Letter to the editor: With garbage cans, one size doesn't fit all

I am writing to explain my frustration with the garbage bins recently delivered to my neighborhood. I was encouraged to learn Penn Hills would be upgrading trash services to include matching garbage and recycling bins.

Unfortunately, these oversized bins have been anything but an upgrade for many residents as they struggle to maneuver them.

To see the extent of how many residents cannot handle the oversized cans, drive around the neighborhood in the days after garbage pickup. You will see many cans in front of houses or visible from the sides of houses, where they previously were placed in the rear yard as required by code.

While the municipality promised that residents could trade in the large can for a smaller one, I learned that residents who call the municipality about it are directed to call Republic Services, and the company directs the caller back to the municipality.

Talking to Republic, you may hear myriad dates when smaller bins will be available: April, December or not until the contract renews. We received a mailer from the mayor that gave no new information regarding the bins. Keep in mind this was after the cans were delivered.

More frustrating than the unwieldy bins has been the lack of attention to residents’ concerns by Republic Services and the mayor, manager and council. Following through on the promise to provide smaller trash cans and informing residents of the process should have been thought out and a plan of action prepared before we received them.

Jim Getsy

Penn Hills