St. John's moving ahead with robo-garbage plan

St. John's city council has voted to speed upimplementation of automated garbage collection in the city.

Council voted Monday evening to spend $5 million to putsuch a systemin place.

Most council members believe automated garbage collection the way it's done in neighbouringMount Pearl is the way to go for St. John's.

• Automated garbage a 'godsend,' says Mount Pearl worker

However, Mayor Dennis O'Keefe thinks the investment is a huge a waste of money.

"I don't see the point in putting $5 million into this with really no payback, no concrete payback," he told councillors.

"We pick up the garbage now and we'll pick up the garbage three years from now."

The system would see residents issued plastic garbage bins, that would then be emptiedby trucks fitted with robotic arms.

A similar plan was abandonedin 2013 due to financial limitations at the time.

The city's finance committee said it now makes sense to move ahead with automated garbage, arguing that it will reduce workplace injuries and cut back on rodent and bird problems.

O'Keefe was the only councillorto vote against the motion. All other council members at Monday's meeting favoured bringing the new collection system online by the fall of 2019.

"I'm sort of re-convinced of the need for this," said Coun. Sandy Hickman.

"I think we've come a long way and I fully support it all the way. It's a great step forward and I commend this council."