By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The city of Alabaster will be delivering new garbage and recycling bins to all city residences over the next several weeks, and is asking residents to not use them until Alabaster’s garbage service begins on Jan. 2, 2018.

In July, the Alabaster City Council agreed to purchase a little more than 23,000 residential garbage and recycling carts for about $1.3 million off the National Joint Power Alliance competitive bid list.

City crews will begin delivering the new carts on Dec. 4, and will do so until Dec. 22. The new city of Alabaster trash carts will be all-blue, while the recycling carts will be blue with a green lid.

Because the city’s current trash service provider, Advanced Disposal, will continue to service the city for the rest of this year, Alabaster leaders are asking residents to not use the new carts until Jan. 2, 2018.

Advanced Disposal will pick up their carts from city residences on the last service week in December on the residence’s usual pickup date.

Beginning on Jan. 2, only official Alabaster trash and recycling carts will be serviced. Because Jan. 1 is a holiday, the first week of Alabaster’s trash service will run a day behind normal schedule.

In December, Alabaster will add a form to its website at Cityofalabaster.com for residents to request an additional trash cart for a $7.64 charge per month. The city will also add a form to the website in December for those looking to request or continue back door trash pickup service.

“Even if you currently receive this service, you must complete the form to continue back door service,” read a post on the city’s website.

The city will only provide residential service, meaning business and school customers who use dumpsters will have to contract their pickup services elsewhere.

Crews are in the process of constructing a new facility near the police shooting range at Limestone Park off U.S. 31 to house the city’s new garbage trucks, and are set to finish it by early 2018.