JACKSONVILLE, Florida. – Curbside recycling in Jacksonville resumed this week after a six-month hiatus, with the city now saying it has the staff it needs to pick up trash, yard waste and recycling.
The News4JAX I-TEAM discovered that some residents had been waiting for weeks for their yard waste to be removed.
On Wednesday on Diamond Leaf Drive in the Westside, a home had more than two dozen bags of yard waste near the sidewalk. People who live there said he had been out for weeks.
Discarded tree clippings lay at the edge of Mary Davis’ immaculate Oak Hill property for at least a month, she said.
“Don’t look good, you know, sitting there that long,” she said.
Around the corner, Stuart Santos said the yard debris had been piling up for even longer.
“He’s been here since January 30, and I think it’s time to get that material back,” Stantos said.
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They are not the only ones experiencing delays. The City of Jacksonville reports that 1,003 people complained about missed yard waste collection last week.
In a statement, a city spokesperson said:
“That’s half a percent of our customer base. While we strive to ensure timely pickup of all types of trash and recycling, this would not impact the return of curbside recycling pickup to our nearly 300,000 households.
On Monday, as recycling resumed, Mayor Lenny Curry said the city is now complete and can haul everything: yard waste, recycling and garbage.
But it is not only urban carriers who are responsible. Three private carriers are also engaged for waste removal.
The I-TEAM discovered that the Westside homes of Davis and Santos are assigned to Advanced Disposal, which is now part of Waste Management.
A company spokesperson said they had six driver positions open and had raised wages by a third since January, while also offering signing bonuses and even free college education for workers and their families.
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This spokesperson says they have brought in additional drivers from outside Jacksonville to help with the return of recycling and appreciates the patience of customers as they work to return service schedules to normal.
The I-TEAM is working to confirm the company that is assigned to Diamond Leaf Drive.
The Waste Management spokesperson said they are investigating why service was delayed at the Davis and Santos homes in Oak Hill.
We’ve asked Meridian and Waste Pro for feedback to see how they’re doing with staffing.
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