Dec. 20, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Novak Sanitary Service.

It’s a milestone day when it comes to trash collection in Sioux Falls – and you can do your part to help your local hauler.

Starting today, a new city ordinance takes effect that allows haulers to provide a curbside pickup option. That means if you bring your container to the curb, you’re helping contribute to safer and more efficient trash collection.

“It’s an awesome opportunity, and we’re really excited to be able to move forward with a more efficient way to service our community and customers while adding another level of safety for our drivers,” said Patrick Draisey, general manager at Novak Sanitary Service.

While Novak and other haulers still are required to offer “valet” service, bringing containers to and from the side of a residence, the new curbside option brings a lot of advantages.

This time of year highlights the bigger benefit for drivers: their safety.

“We can’t maintain our customers’ driveways for them to make sure that ice and snow aren’t a hazard for our drivers,” Draisey said. “Keeping our team off the driveways reduces everything from their risk of falling to the risk of a scratched vehicle.”

There are plenty of other benefits, too, from environmental, thanks to fuel efficiency to reduced injuries, and ultimately cost savings as the efficiencies add up.

“It’s going to result in fewer trucks on the streets because instead of sitting at the house for a couple minutes, we can stop, service the can quickly and continue on,” Draisey said.

“This is a large change in how we do business, so nothing is going to change overnight. We want to make sure customers are aware they can place their container next to the curb in addition to leaving it outside their home.”

There are many benefits to participating in curbside pickup, including route efficiency, especially during times when haulers are shorthanded, he added.

“There’s going to be a learning curve, but we’re very excited to get started,” Draisey said. “Our long-term plan is that as we gain efficiency, we will begin using different trucks designed for curbside pickup, and ultimately we’ll be able to pass the savings along to our customers who participate in curbside.”

The revised city ordinance also clarifies where trash containers need to be stored. Garbage, recycling and yard waste containers should be placed inside a structure or adjacent to your building in an inconspicuous place. Containers can be pulled out for curbside collection anytime after noon the day before collection and must be returned to their storage spot by 11 p.m. on the day of collection.

Get connected

If you’ve not yet downloaded the Waste Connections app, this is the best time to do so. Just search for WasteConnect in your app store, and download it for free.

In addition to reminding you of trash pickup and recycling days, the app can send you push notifications with important updates.

“So you’ll know if service is delayed because of weather, or you’ll be reminded if a holiday is impacting collections,” Draisey said. “It’s a very easy way to communicate with customers.”

Have any questions on your Novak service? You can always call 605-338-7126 or visit novaksanitary.com.