Trash Problem?

[jaxpaxpastor]

This morning (Tuesday, 11/9) is trash pick-up day in our neighborhood.  While walking my dog on W. Seventh Street between N. Silver and N. Perry, I noticed trash literally dumped and strewn about in front of at least seven different buildings--civic (The Woman's Center), retail (the grocery store on N. Pearl and 7th), and a number of residential properties.  One or two I would have shrugged off to a sloppy job in bagging and putting out the trash in cans.  But not to this extent.  I'm not making accusations, but it appears as though the sanitation people deliberately, willy-nilly, treated the trash they were to pick up and dispose of with such force and disregard for proper hygiene that emptied trash cans were left upside with rodent-attracting debris and busted plastic trash bags strewn all around.  Am I the only one who noticed this?  Is there something we can do to correct the problem?  Thanks for your concern, consideration, and input.

~Bruce
New Homeowner: N.Pearl between 7th & 6th (Springfield)
Pastor: Christ Church of Peace (Riverside)

[Ernest Street]

If this was vandalism done before the trash pickup, the truck will drive right by. they don't pick up heavy cans either.

[ChriswUfGator]

I routinely have to pick up trash strewn about after the garbage collectors leave. With all the budget cuts the last few years, they have less guys working more territory and when you watch them it's like a Nascar pit crew trying to get in and out as fast as possible. The tradeoff to working at that speed is that it gets sloppy, trash is strewn everywhere. Funny thing, the garbage fees keep going up for residents but COJ keeps cutting services. Where's that money going?  

PS I live in Riverside, so it's not just a Springfield thing.

[Dog Walker]

I'm in Riverside too and have never had a problem with the trash guys spreading stuff around.  However I have had that happen with the recycle guy of all people.  I do have one of those roll-around cans with the hinged lid.  Maybe that makes a difference?

[Jerry Moran]

The Downtown Sanitation Crew does an excellent job.  I always tell them they are the City's best and most effective department.

[jaxpaxpastor]

Thanks for your input, folks.

I have always noticed a small amount of debris littered helter-skelter about the emptied trash cans on pick-up days.

But today what I saw was very different.  It wasn't that homeowners or property owners improperly placed their trash in their refuge receptacles.  It was more like plastic bags of trash were removed from the trash cans and then slammed down on the ground, ripping apart the plastic and spewing trash all around.

I've watched how the sanitation people work.  They don't pick up a trash can, bring it to their truck, and then empty it into the back of the truck.  Instead, they pull out (manually) what's in a trash can and then throw what they've got in their hands into the truck. 

What I saw today in terms of trash was evidence of an angry, deliberate and malicious mistreatment of the trash we put out for pick-up.

I've posted this here not to point any fingers, but rather to see if anyone is aware of the "culprit/s" responsible for dirtying our neighborhood and treating it with such obvious contempt.

Thanks again,

~Bruce

[Kay]

Call 630-CITY and report it.

[Overstreet]

It happens in Mandarin. They dump the can in the truck. Then they slam it down on the ground upside down. Anything stuck on the inside comes out and litters the street.

My wife blames me for it every week. 

[Ernest Street]

This is another angry Crackhead payback for you people coming into their once vibrant drug slum,and cleaning it up and GASP! living there
Remember the Whore ..er Prostitute that was burning down homes?...she was PISSED OFF!

[blfair]

I'd suggest calling 630-CITY, or filing a complaint/request online at: http://ecare.coj.net/

I've had some issues with our sanitation folks, and got them to change things (for a little while anyway) by doing the above.

[Dog Walker]

There is even a special section on ecare for reporting problems with trash collection.  Just go down the drop down list to "Trash/Waste Collection".

[mtraininjax]

630-CITY is a collosal waste of time. Call your councilperson, they can contact the Chief of Waste and you can get a call back from the department, directly without the Hoo-Hah of the CITY cares department, which is a joke of a department. Want to cut back government, send those jobs to India, where at least the cost would be less and get better quality.

Back to trash, those guys who pick up trash, I saw them in Avondale last week, it was like 27 and they were picking up everything, no problem. My hat is off to them, they show up, pick it up and I rarely have an issue with the service. Yeah, they break cans, but then again they are cheaply made and designed to break down, so that you can buy new ones that cost twice as much. Its a raquet! Home Depot should sponsor trash service, with all the money they make. Think about it!