The City of St. John's has an App for That

If you are one of the more than 14 million Canadians who has an Internet-enabled smartphone or a tablet, you can now have the City of St. John's garbage, recycling and special waste collection details at your fingertips, anytime you want them.

"The City of St. John's is pleased to announce that now we've got an app for that," says Mayor Dennis O'Keefe. "And best of all, residents can download it for free. This is another example of how we are working to provide residents with the important information they need at their fingertips."

The MY-WASTE app lets mobile device users download the full range of information found on the Curb It website and in the collection schedule distributed in late fall. Residents no longer have to hunt for printed schedules or sit in front of a computer to obtain information on garbage day changes due to a civic holiday or the recycling collection schedule for their area. By downloading MY-WASTE, City of St. John's residents can check times and locations for special collections for bulk and metal waste or learn when the Household Hazardous Waste Depot is open and more.

Residents can download the MY-WASTE app by going to www.my-waste.mobi/StJohns/ and selecting the link to the store or marketplace for their device. The app is currently available for iPhone/iPad and Android devices. An app for the new generation of RIM smartphones (blackberries) is planned for mid-2012.

"Once residents download the app, they can set it up to give them regular reminders for any of the collection programs. For example, they can set a reminder for the day that recycling is collected or they can set up alerts just for household hazardous waste days or when to schedule a bulk garbage appointment," says Mayor O'Keefe.

"This is an additional way for us to connect with residents about our waste diversion and garbage collection programs. We'll be able to update the information on the app as necessary during the year, so it will always be current. Residents will never forget a collection day and that should lead to increased recycling rates. Everybody wins," adds Mayor O'Keefe.

The market for smartphones and tablets is growing rapidly. Deloitte Canada Research projects that they will comprise half of the sales of computing devices in Canada this year.

The City of St. John's is adding the MY-WASTE app to its communication and outreach activities. It will continue to distribute printed materials and have information on the Curb It website for residents who prefer to use traditional promotion and education materials.

For further information:
Jennifer Mills
Communications Officer
City of St. John's
Phone: 709-570-2037
Cell: 709-690-7586
E-mail: jmills@stjohns.ca

Dennis O'Keefe
Mayor
City of St. John's
Phone: 709-576-8477
E-mail: dokeefe@stjohns.ca