The City of Marion is transitioning to automated curbside collection of garbage, recycling and yard waste on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. Solid waste will now be collected in the City-issued standardized carts by equipment operators in trucks equipped with mechanical arms.
“This is a highly anticipated day for both our residents and members of Team Marion,” said Deputy City Manager Kim Downs. “This initiative is years in the making and touches nearly every Marion household. We ask for patience and a little bit of grace as we begin this new process.”
Starting Monday, residents should start using the new carts that were delivered in recent weeks.
Cart Placement
Residents are reminded to have their wheeled carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day. The imprinted serial number should face the street, and the wheels of the cart should face the home. Carts MUST have 3 feet of space between them to allow room for the mechanical arm. They should also be positioned 3 feet from parked cars, fire hydrants, light poles, street signs or low-hanging trees.
Collection Times
Residents will likely notice a change in the time of day for their collection. Crews will be stopping at more houses each day, so collection is expected to take all day.
Route Changes
As part of the transition, roughly 14.5 percent of all households will have a new collection day. This was communicated directly to those impacted via mail. The new routes go into effect on Monday, Oct. 14. Find a link to a map to verify your route at www.cityofmarion.org/automatedcollection.
Truck Deliveries
Two of the five new trucks have arrived in Marion and are ready to be placed into service. Unfortunately, the remaining three trucks have been delayed by a few days at the factory. This will not affect the timeline for transitioning to automated collection. As part of the contingency plan, the City will use loaner vehicles for the first week of collection.
Disposal of Old Receptacles
The City is partnering with UFP Industries to recycle the blue recycling bins and their lids. Plastic garbage and yard waste cans, while they may have a symbol, are not recyclable in Linn County. They can be cut up and placed in the new garbage carts. In addition, empty garbage, recycling and yard waste cans will be collected at the following dates, times and locations identified below:
Recycling Drop-Off Facility, 195 35th Street
Tuesdays, Oct. 15, 22 and 29 from noon-5:45 p.m.
Saturdays, Oct. 19, 26 and Nov. 2 from 8 a.m.-4:15 p.m.
Former Library Lot, 1095 6th Avenue
Saturdays, Oct. 19 and 26 from 8 a.m.-noon
Residents can also repurpose or donate their old containers.
Find additional information and learn more about the process at www.cityofmarion.org/automatedcollection or contact the Marion Public Works Department at (319) 377-6367.
