Trash Collectors Struggling To Deal With Increase Of Household Waste

Trash collectors in neighborhoods across the country say they are swamped with garbage as most people are staying home during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Republic Services, one of the largest waste management companies in the United States, expects to see a 30% increase in the amount of residential trash they handle. Meanwhile, commercial trash collections have plummeted with non-essential stores and businesses forced to close down.

Some companies have reduced or suspended commercial pickups so they can focus on all the extra trash being accumulated in residential neighborhoods. A few cities have suspended curbside recycling and yard waste pickup, allowing trash collectors to focus on picking up garbage.

"Our residential volumes are drastically increased," Barney Shapiro, owner of Tenleytown Trash, told CNN. "People are calling in and asking for increased services. We can't do that on a short-term basis. It's just a nightmare."

Local officials are asking residents to be mindful of how much trash they produce and suggested that this is not the time to do some spring cleaning.

"We in the county are asking people to be mindful how much trash they are generating," Erik Grabowsky, solid waste bureau chief for Arlington County, told the Washington Examiner. "This is not the time to clean out your garage or attic."

To keep up to date on the latest news about the coronavirus and to understand what you need to stay safe and healthy, check out the Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Photo: Getty Images


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