About 80 percent of East Lansing residents currently use easy carts, which are containers that can be lifted into garbage trucks using a mechanical arm.

Those who don’t own an easy cart would be required to purchase a container at a cost of $35-$60, depending on size.

When garbage collectors step outside their trucks to pick up trash containers, the “potential for injuries rises dramatically,” said Todd Sneathen, East Lansing’s director of public works.

In the past, garbage collectors have injured themselves after lifting heavy trash containers or slipping on icy streets, causing the city to pay out “a significant amount” of workers’ compensation, Sneathen said.

While the carts have been successful at speeding up trash collection, some residents have voiced concern about the proposed change, Councilmember Kevin Beard said.

“Some people perceive the cart to be inconvenient,” Beard said. “They say they are too large — even the small ones — and not easy to store.”

If the change was made, Beard said he doesn’t anticipate many problems.

“The vast majority of folks can use it and use it successfully,” he said.

For residents who don’t want to use easy carts, the proposal allows the use of yellow plastic trash bags sold by the city in place of the carts. The bags cost $1 each.

Angela Mabin, East Lansing’s public service administrator, said East Lansing’s bags, because of their thickness, are less likely to be torn open by animals than other plastic bags.

She added that other plastic bags come in large sizes, making them difficult for garbage collectors to lift.

The City Council will review the proposal again in the coming weeks, Mayor Vic Loomis said.