Question 3 of 16: Design Considerations for a Collection System

Question 3: Design Considerations for a Collection System (8 marks)

Question text not reproduced: the examination questions are © Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Open the official past paper (linked at the top of this page) to read the question, then follow the worked solution below.

(1) Collection method and container type — curbside vs. alley vs. set-out/set-back, and container standardization (carts, bins, bags), directly determine crew size and truck-side loading time. (2) Collection frequency — once vs. twice weekly, driven by waste generation rate, putrescibility/odour and climate (e.g., organics may need more frequent pickup in summer). (3) Route design and scheduling — minimizing deadheading and backtracking (often via GIS-based routing software) to reduce truck-hours and fuel per tonne collected, balanced against equitable, predictable service days across the service area. (4) Vehicle type and capacity — packer-truck size and compaction ratio must match route density and haul distance to the disposal/transfer point; too small a truck increases trip frequency, too large increases axle loads and manoeuvring difficulty on residential streets.