AMY SZPARA

LAPLACE – It will be another month before St. John Parish residents have updated garbage pick-up service, a system parish officials said will cause less litter to be scattered in the streets and will bring more convenience to the people in the parish. Waste Management, Inc. was awarded a contract to service the parish and was supposed to take over for Fred Trosclair Inc. starting July 1, but because they are still awaiting essential equipment, the company will not begin trash pick-up until the beginning of August. Fred Trosclair Inc., which has serviced the parish for years, will remain the garbage collection company for St. John until August, extending the contract for an extra month. Waste Management needs time to get things in order before it can begin trash collection in the parish. According to Parish President Nickie Monica, the company’s trucks are expected to be delivered shortly. “They want to get everything done and start without a hitch,” he said. Monica said residents will begin receiving their new 96-gallon trash cans with instructions within the next week. The new cans will be emptied via an automated system, electronic arms that extend from the truck to lift and dump the cans. “We just have a few changes in the pick-up schedule right now, but it really won’t affect too many people,” said Monica. Informed a couple of weeks ago of the delay, the parish council approved an extension in the Fred Trosclair Inc. contract. The month of July will allow Waste Management to train its new employees on the equipment they will be using. Fred Trosclair Inc. agreed to continue service and signed on for an extra month Friday. “We knew with the negotiations taking as long as they did, it might take longer to get everything in place,” said Monica. “We’ve waited this long. We can wait another month.” According to Monica, the new system will be more aesthetically pleasing, will eliminate litter in the streets and will be more orderly. On the second day of collection each week residents will also be allowed to put out several bulky waste items, such as old furniture, for removal. “Ninety-nine percent of the materials generated by the average person can be put in the yard for pick-up. They won’t have to go searching for a dump,” Monica explained. “Bulky solid waste covers anything the average home owner would have to throw away.” The new service will cost more, about $1.68 a month more per resident, but Monica said it will provide the parish with a cleaner, more efficient system. Waste Management was awarded a five-year contract for $1.6 million to collect in the parish.