There are Manteca residents that aren’t looking forward to the city switching out smaller blue recycling carts for 96-gallon versions starting the week of Sept. 16.

They can make their case to keep either their 32 or 64 carts by accessing a request form seeking an exemption from being issued large carts for residential  use.

It can be found in the city’s website on the public works department section under solid waste.

You need to explain why you need an exemption from the standardized large cart size.

Returning the form doesn’t guarantee you will be exempted.

If it is denied, you will have the large 96 gallon cart.

If it is is accepted, you will still be required to pay the same standardized rate.

You can make the case for either a 32 or 64 gallon cart for one or all of the three categories — refuse (brown) recycle (blue) or organics (green).

There are currently less than 100 exemptions that have been granted, according to Public Works Director Carl Brown.

The switch to universal 96 gallon carts was not just to meet state mandated landfill diversion goals and reduce the contamination of recyclables, but also to address operational issues that were slowing down collection trucks.

As such, the city can’t be as efficient as possible to collect the optimum number of carts on a route to help keep costs down and soften the need for future rate hikes.

The smaller carts — especially the 32 gallon ones — are not optimum for the mechanical arms of the side loading solid waste trucks to dump.

Three things happen on a routine basis.

One, was the cart would slip off of the arm as it is being dumped.

That requires the driver to get out, retrieve the cart and place it back curbside.

It is an intense time consuming process.

Another was the fact some people pack the smaller carts so tight they won’t tip their load into the bin.

The other involved the claws damaging the carts to the point the carts had to be replaced at upwards of $150 a pop.

Before the first phase conversion involving switching out refuse carts started, there were an estimated 2,000 or so small carts in use in Manteca.

Manteca will start switching out older blue carts starting the week of Sept. 16 as the city moves closer to weekly recycling collection.

The switch to the blue carts is scheduled to take place through April.

The process is dependent on the city being able to receive cart orders it has made in a timely manner.

That said, Brown indicated the city will do what it can to get 96-gallon blue carts for all of its 25,000 plus residential customers delivered sooner.

Not only are 32 and 65 gallon carts being replaced with 96 gallon versions, but older 96-gallon cart models are as well.

The long change out of recycling carts also reflects the fact they will be switched on regular collection days.

The city will distribute door hangers the week prior advising specific areas that will have blue carts switched out and that they need to be placed curbside even if they are far from being full.

Those that already have the newer style 96-gallon blue carts, will also be asked to place them curbside on the change out day so crews can double check to make sure the right cart numbers correspond to the address.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com