The split bin collection system was once a common find in numerous Aussie councils, way back when recycling was introduced as part of the domestic waste service. Some councils used split bins to keep paper and cardboard separated from bottles and containers and some councils used split bins to keep mixed recycling separated from general household waste. Overtime technology has become more sophisticated and there has been greater demand for capacity, which has seen the split bins gradually faded out and is now almost an extinct system.
The three Richards companies ran a well known split bin system for garbage and mixed recycling, widespread in small councils and regional areas. The bins were always divided east to west, usually in a 50/50 or 70/30 configuration and could be emptied by small single axle or monster dual axle side loaders. The cool and unique thing about the Richards trucks is the finger/teeth/comb lifter utilising a water jet to spray the lids open, so the bin and truck dividers meet close and properly.
Solo Resource Recovery still runs what I believe is the last split bin truck in Kyogle, the last JR Richards split bin trucks finished up in Clarence Valley in July 2012 and the last of the JJ Richards dividers completed their runs in the middle of 2013. I'd videoed a Solo and JRR truck, but I wanted to get a JJR truck on video also, so just about two years ago I found myself in the regional areas of south-west QLD, hunting down one of these split trucks in what is now Toowoomba Regional Council.
First thing on a fresh Monday morning I was south of Toowoomba itself, videoing an old truck collecting the garbage in the former Clifton council area, then it was a quick drive to the next former council for the split bin action. I stuffed around in the small town of Greenmount trying to spot the truck, then travelled further north to the town of Cambooya, but I could only see full bins. An hour later I was back just outside the Cambooya locality where I finally noticed some empty bins, looked ahead in the distance and eyed an enormous dark green side loader turn off the highway and head towards the main town.
I first saw pictures of this truck when it was brand new back in 2008, just brought in to replace the much older and smaller unit previously collecting in the area for well over a decade. This truck was based in the areas south of Toowoomba, servicing the former shires of Pittsworth and Cambooya, which includes a handful of urban areas and shitloads of rural coverage. It's no wonder this truck clocks up so many kilometres and is out on the road all day! There was also an identical truck doing the fulltime runs in the former Jondaryan council and there were a couple of these big splits working in Lockyer Valley under the former Laidley shire.
I'll wrap up this essay length description now. Basically you've got a very rare and interesting truck collecting split bins all around the town of Cambooya on a sunny Monday morning. I went crazy taking pictures and videos of this truck, being such a special machine to document and I was very satisfied with my success, especially considering the bonus unloading view. I reckon the concluding clip was sweet, taken on the town outskirts where he approaches from the distance, empties a lone standing bin and takes off into more distance =] A note for those who are curious about the compaction, a paddle is swinging through the garbage on the bottom and an auger moves the recycling through the body up top. Lastly a massive thanks to the champion driver for being cool with me following along and for putting on some quality full throttle action; very much appreciated. Hope you enjoy the action!!!
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