JACKSON, Wyo. — On Monday, April 7, Town Council unanimously agreed to release a revised bid request for bear-resistant trash cans in Town, requiring more detailed specifications from potential vendors.
According to Town Council, new bear-resistant trash cans are needed to replace older, less-user-friendly models in downtown Jackson. The Town wrote in the meeting agenda that it intends to purchase up to six triple can series, seven double can series and 44 single can series. Bear-resistant trash containers must be certified by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee at the time of bidding.
The Town of Jackson originally scheduled bids for bear-resistant trash cans to be due by March 21. The Town received seven bids from different vendors, but none were based in Wyoming. These bids were rejected because the receptacles were too difficult to use, according to Town.
“If a bin is difficult to use, people may put their trash in recycling bins or leave it on the ground,” staff wrote. “They may also prop the lid of the container open for greater ease of use. These actions diminish the effectiveness of the trash containers and makes trash available to wildlife.”
The staff notes state that downtown locations need trash containers that are quick and easy to use by the general public, including people who have never seen or used a bear-resistant trash can, children, the elderly and people with physical disabilities. The containers also need to “function easily in cold weather where ice may form in latches and moving parts.”
In the revised bid request, Town Staff determined that downtown bear-resistant trash containers should be replaced with ones that have top loading pull down chutes to create less opportunity for user error. The new containers could be operated with a closed fist or while wearing mittens to increase user friendliness. The handles on the new bear-resistant cans would be similar to the ones in Miller Park, Phil Baux Park, the Home Ranch Lot and the Deloney Restrooms.
To improve the ease with which trash is removed from the cans, staff also specified that bins must have a service door to allow for the ease of emptying.
“Bins that are more difficult to empty have ergonomic issues for our waste haulers and
could lead to an increase in the cost of servicing them,” staff wrote.
According to staff notes, another requirement added to the bid request is that vendors must show pictures or diagrams of the bear-resistant trash containers, specifying ADA compliance and a warranty of one year or greater. The containers must also fit 40-gallon trash cans to keep pricing consistent with the waste hauler.
In February, Town Council reported an increase in bear-resistant trash container use after a rise in bear conflicts in the valley. This past summer, Town Council approved the Town Sustainability Plan, which includes a target for 100% of Town-owned trash containers to be bear-resistant by 2026.
