Some Columbia businesses frustrated over delayed trash pickups

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR'S NOTE: The name and title of the source from Como Smoke and Fire have been corrected.

Some businesses in Columbia are sharing their frustration over delayed and lack of trash pickup from the Columbia Solid Waste Utility.

According to a Facebook post from Como Smoke and Fire, the business pays the city more than $400 a month for trash pickup three times a week, but the city has not emptied their dumpsters on the scheduled days.

Matt Hawkins, the Como Smoke and Fire general manager, said Tuesday that while the city eventually picked up their trash on Monday, it has been an ongoing issue. He says he contacts the city about every other week, letting them know the restaurant was skipped.

"It happens at least every other week will get skipped. And what happens is we're a high volume restaurant, and the trash just builds up and it built up," Hawkins said.

Hawkins said the restaurant is busiest on the weekends, and when he and employees come back on Monday, it's difficult to open up the business.

"I have nowhere to put any boxes, know where to put any trash from prep on Monday morning, and so it just all piles up," Hawkins said. "We pay almost, almost $500 a month just for trash and, I mean, it's all we want, we just want our money's worth and we want them to empty the dumpsters three times a week like they're supposed to."

Hawkins also says it's a bad look for the business.

Other business owners have commented on the Facebook post, saying they have had similar issues with Solid Waste. "A lot of other businesses, a lot of the friends of ours, are dealing with the exact same thing, but we didn't know, until yesterday when we threw that out there," Hawkins said.

The city saw the post and got rid of the trash.

"That did cause some concern on the city's part to make sure that it is being handled," said James West with Columbia Utilities.

West said one of the trash collection drivers was on vacation and a substitute driver, who is not familiar with the regular trash route, skipped Como Smoke and Fire.

Solid Waste says changes are currently being made within the department.

"From equipment to software, handling the routes and, as well as personnel itself they are down some drivers," said West. "Right now, we're currently looking for at least eight new drivers."

The department has ordered new and more trash collection trucks, but is on a year to a year-and-a-half-long waiting list for them, West said. There are four trucks down for maintenance.

"There's added burdens placed on existing trucks and so their services are now behind, so it's a vicious cycle," said West. "So once we can get those back into circulation, that will certainly help."

West said he is unsure when the issues will be resolved.

West said one way that businesses can help out trash collectors is by clearing the space around the dumpster from cars and extra trash so the truck can fit and empty the dumpster. For now, the department asks for a bit of patience.