Garbage trucks are noisy and have become a nuisance for many people. The city has adopted an ordinance that prohibits garbage trucks from arriving early in the morning and late in the evening. In addition to garbage trucks, you’ll hear a green/yard waste truck on the opposite side of the street, which makes a slightly different sound.
Noise
A common question about garbage trucks is why they are so loud. While the answers to that question may differ from one area to another, most agree that garbage trucks can be a nuisance. Often, the noise comes from different sources. For example, the green/yard waste truck on the other side of the street makes a very different sound than the garbage truck.
One reason garbage trucks are so noisy is their size. Many are considerably bigger than a semi, which means that their engine is much louder. They also have to constantly stop and start in order to get the job done. Also, these trucks must maneuver city streets while collecting several dumpsters’ worth of trash in one run. This requires a lot of gear changes and an extremely loud engine.
The loud sound of garbage trucks is a huge source of complaints from the public. Residents of Waikiki, for example, have complained about the noise from garbage trucks every day. One resident, Carlino Giampolo, has repeatedly contacted the city council with complaints about the trucks’ noise. He has also complained that the garbage trucks sometimes hit dumpsters and make other unpleasant noises.
Customization
Garbage trucks are noisy, big, and often stop and start all the time. They also release a variety of smells. They’re particularly loud, because they’re forced to compress a dumpster of trash into a small space. And they’re often right outside your dog’s house. The noise they create isn’t the only problem. If your dog is upset or scared by garbage trucks, there are a few things you can do.
Some cities have banned garbage trucks from arriving at night or very early. Others have regulated when they can arrive on your block. In Austin, Texas, residents had complained about the roaring noise of garbage trucks and refrigerator trucks. But this didn’t stop them from claiming that refrigerator trucks were also loud. Washington, DC residents even considered limiting commercial trash collection to daytime hours. And the Department of Transportation has proposed a study to determine when garbage trucks should be allowed to come to your neighborhood.
Hours of operation
The hours of operation of garbage trucks in the city of Honolulu are a hot topic among local residents. The trucks pick up trash at early in the morning, waking up residents from their slumber. While most garbage trucks have to be on duty at certain times, some extend their hours to give drivers more flexibility in their schedules.
Environmental impact
Waste collection agencies are increasingly making changes to the way they operate their fleets to minimize their environmental impact. One of the most obvious changes is to use cleaner fuels, such as compressed natural gas instead of diesel. Natural gas has become the primary fuel for garbage trucks, and some transit systems are transitioning to this fuel, too.
However, garbage trucks are not the only cause for concern. In addition to being noisy and causing air pollution, garbage trucks also use a great deal of fuel. On average, garbage trucks burn over $42,000 worth of fuel every year, which is twenty times more than the average American household produces. Additionally, garbage trucks are notoriously inefficient when it comes to fuel efficiency – they average only three miles per gallon. With the price of diesel at four dollars per gallon, cities are looking for ways to reduce their fuel use and emissions to protect their budgets.
The report also found elevated rates of respiratory diseases in parts of the South Bronx and North Brooklyn, where garbage trucks are concentrated. Community members monitored air quality along major garbage truck routes and found that particulate levels were seven times higher there than in other neighborhoods. These areas also had the highest number of garbage trucks per hour. The majority of these vehicles were diesel and were over a decade old. The study found that about a third of these trucks didn’t meet the 2007 emissions standards, which led to community fears.
