Lack of garbage collection angers Southern Shore residents
Some towns haven’t seen a pickup since Dec. 23
Something’s causing a stink on the Southern Shore and so are many residents.
Several people in towns from Bay Bulls to Trepassey are fuming at the lack of garbage collection lately in the area, with many having gone without pickup since Dec. 23.
“It’s just not acceptable,” Susan Stamp, who lives in Mobile, told The Telegram Wednesday.
“It’s hard enough other times of the year, but it’s especially hard this time of year, with so much extra garbage after Christmas.
“All this garbage creates a big problem with rodents and wildlife, too. It’s really frustrating.”
Stamp was one of many who has taken to social media to express their outrage. Many said that while some areas, like Bay Bulls, have seen frequent collection in the last few weeks, others have seen none.
“It just doesn’t make sense,” Stamp said. “Why collect garbage more than once in one place, but leave other places with nothing?”
Juanita Mulrooney, who lives in Tors Cove, said her area hasn’t seen garbage pickup since Dec. 30.
“It’s beyond disgusting,” she said. “My (garbage) box is overloaded and I have been dragging excess back and forth every day so it’s not torn up by animals.”
Southern Shore residents pay a fee of about $180 to the Eastern Regional Services Board, which directs Eastern Waste Management, for garbage collection and recycling pickup in the region. Contractors are then hired for various areas.
Many residents said there has been terrible communication with residents — noting updates about garbage collection delays were posted to Eastern Waste Management’s website only after receiving complaints. Some also complained about the poor customer service.
“The receptionist was rude, saying, ‘That’s another one from up there calling.’ Then to be told, ‘If you have a complaint, put it in writing,’” Mulrooney said. “It’s not right.”
On its website, the company posted, “Please note garbage collection will not be completed today in Brigus South, Tors
Cove, Mobile, Burnt Cove-st. Michael’s-bauline East & Witless Bay. Garbage collection will continue Thursday, January 16, 2020. Eastern Regional Service Board apologizes for any inconvenience that this may cause.”
Mulrooney said, “They said it’ll be picked up tomorrow, but we’ve been hearing that for weeks.”
Eastern Regional Services Board chairman Harold Mullowney said the delays were caused by a combination of poor weather and mechanical problems with a few garbage trucks.
“A snowstorm about a week ago had garbage collection put off, so that caused the confusion,” said Mullowney, who is also mayor of Bay Bulls. “Then right after the truck hits the road again, they had a couple of major breakdowns, so the pickup never got completed as they should.
“People maybe never got the message correctly . ... People often pay very little attention to it when the message does go out.”
Collection continued Jan. 1314, he said, and is expected to be completed today.
“They’re almost back on track, but again, a lot depends on weather,” said Mullowney, who couldn’t recall which contractor was hired for Southern Shore garbage pickup.
“(The contractor) has been scrambling to pick up what was missed.”
However, he noted things may be interrupted again with another snowstorm on the way.
“We’ve had a rough go of it with snow. We got off schedule,” Mullowney said.
“God forbid now, we’ve got another snowstorm coming. It throws contractors off schedule and no one can predict how it will go.”