Imagine trying to lift an awkward 20 kg bag or can, while standing on an icy slope, and heaving it up into a truck, many times a day.

That’s a risk City waste collectors face on a daily basis in the winter.

Here are a few things you can do to make garbage collection safer for your collector:

• Clear ice and snow from your garbage stand
• Place your waste on the ground as close to the street or alley as possible
• Put bags and cans on the street side of windrows and snow piles
• Place garbage away from down spouts or sump pump runoffs

“It’s so important for Edmontonians to keep their walks shoveled,” said Dave Budzinski, general supervisor of collection for the City of Edmonton. “Ice is one of the biggest dangers garbage and recycling collectors face. Keeping walkways free from ice goes a long way in reducing injuries to collectors.”