Memphis’ trash service strains under severe storm debris
Memphis’ solid waste department is blaming a delay in bulk item pick-up on the amount of storm debris left on city curbs, but some say the problems predate the recent severe weather.
There are 19 article(s) tagged solid waste:
Memphis’ solid waste department is blaming a delay in bulk item pick-up on the amount of storm debris left on city curbs, but some say the problems predate the recent severe weather.
The study will consider how much waste enters landfills compared to recycling, composting or other waste-processing facilities over the course of at least two seasons.
The proposed ordinance comes up for council consideration as two contenders in the 2023 race for mayor have filed lawsuits over the current residency requirement.
The council will hear, in committees, about the idea of “potential acquisition and adaptive reuse” of a bottling company plant at Southern and Hollywood. On the council agenda is a vote urging Gov. Bill Lee to veto a bill that bans teaching critical race theory.
It could have taken years for city crews to adequately manage garbage pick up in Area E, city council members were told Tuesday. Meanwhile, some council members appear likely to move for more funding of the Memphis Area Transit Authority and the parks division has a plan to add park rangers.
Regarding Memphis solid waste collection, a letter writer says she would drop city services ‘like a hot potato' if other options for garbage pickup were available for citizens in Cordova.
Memphis has an emergency contract with Team Waste in Area E, probably until the end of 2021. In the interim, officials are considering whether to keep using a private waste company to manage the area or expand city services to cover it. Related stories:
The solid waste route system covering Cordova, Hickory Hill and East Memphis began as a first step toward privatizing all city solid waste collections during the tenure of a different mayor. Related stories: City faces critical decision on one of its most basic services
The new private contractor serving 35,000 households transitioned Monday from dealing with a backup from the past month to making daily trash pickups in Cordova, Hickory Hill and East Memphis.
The contract cancellation comes at the end of a 20-day period to fix problems with waste pickup in Area E — Cordova, Hickory Hill and East Memphis. Residents in the area complained last month that Waste Pro not only missed scheduled trash pickup days but left trash by the curb for weeks.
On April 10, the city could terminate its contract with Waste Pro for poor service or determine that Waste Pro has made good on dealing with the backlog of trash. The council voted Tuesday calling on the administration to cancel the city’s contract.
The Thursday, April 1, press release from the company is the latest salvo in an exchange between the city and the company that went public last week.
Six Cordova homeowners have filed a civil lawsuit against the city and MLGW seeking $38.8 million in damages for a group of 35,000 households.
Better weather and a relentless barrage of complaints about garbage piling up seem to have been the breaking point in the city’s relationship with Waste Pro USA. The chairman of the City Council said it felt like the private waste company was “stringing us along.”
Waste Pro, the company at the center of sanitation complaints in Cordova, is looking to end its contract with the City of Memphis. Meanwhile, Mayor Jim Strickland said there’s been no formal notice to the city and the city moved to end the contract with a 20-day notice last week to either fix the problems or consider the contract ended.
Terminating the city’s contract with Waste Pro USA to pick up garbage in Cordova, Hickory Hill and parts of East Memphis would be a pretty straightforward process based on the last trash contract the city terminated.
Waste Pro is the second private contractor in three years to have the solid waste contract for parts of Cordova, Hickory and East Memphis, known on solid waste routes as Area E.
Germantown is beginning the annual review of its budget. Increases in the stormwater and utility rates are under review for a possible increase.
Solid waste collection is suspended in Germantown through the end of the week. It will resume Monday.
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