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Detroiters experiencing trash pickup delays could soon get relief

By and Jack Nissen
Published  July 12, 2024 6:00pm EDT
Detroit
FOX 2 Detroit

Frustrations with trash service persist in Detroit

It's been tough going for residents like Claire Childs, who has been dealing with inconsistent trash pickups in her Detroit neighborhood. But the new trash contractor says those delays will soon be a thing of the past.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Some Detroit residents have had a rough go of it recently when it comes to trash pickup.

"I had called back and forth all this week and no one returned my call," said Claire Childs. "For some apparent reason, they did not pick up my trash."

Childs lives on Roselawn on Detroit's west side. For the past two weeks, trash has piled up on her block with no end in sight. 

The stinky problem has others frustrated as well - enough that it's become a central focus for the city's new trash contractor that will be collecting garbage in the coming weeks and months.

According to the new firm's director of governmental affairs, delayed pickups was an issue in the making for awhile as the previous provider fell behind on services.

"We inherited huge problems in many communities. We’re not shying away from it. We own it. It’s our responsibility now and we’re going to get it fixed," said Allen, who works at Priority Waste.

Priority Waste took over residential accounts from GFL Environmental on July 1st. 

"All the broken trucks that came with the takeover, we’re getting those fixed in real time as quickly as possible and we’re going to continue to plow away every weekend for about 21 days," Allen said. "We thought it would take us to get to a clean slate with all the behind and that’s what we’re doing right now."

The home base for assuaging customer concerns is in its Priority Integrated Technology Center, sometimes called the PIT. This is where employees can communicate with the 122 communities that Priority Waste oversees.

"They talk to the drivers in real time. They're talking to the customers, the residents that are out there in real time and we're answering the calls, clearing the problems, and making the operations happen every day," Allen said.

Progress is already happening - and that includes at Childs' residence.

"What people are going to see in the next couple of weeks is that clearing and the more regularity coming back to their neighborhoods," Allen said, "and then in 60 to 90 days when the technology, all those vehicles get fixed and retrofitted, they’re going to see the highest level of excellent service that other communities experience."