PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Trash cans are staying at the curb longer than expected in parts of unincorporated Palm Beach County, where residents report missed pickups and unpredictable collection times since new seven-year contracts began Oct. 1.
For Karen Lamberson, the frustration starts when she goes to bring her trash can back in.
“I thought they were supposed to come on Monday, and then when I went to go get my trash can, it was still full,” Lamberson said. “Well, that’s a bummer.”
Neighbor Joe Belsito described a similar experience.
“It stays overnight. And they pick it up the next day,” he said.
The Solid Waste Authority (SWA) recorded 5,543 customer notification forms associated with calls from Oct. 1 through Oct. 13 — roughly double the approximately 2,700 contacts the agency considers normal for that period. The figures do not represent only confirmed missed pickups.
Service Area 3, which includes The Acreage and is served by Coastal Waste & Recycling, accounted for more than half the notifications, with 3,102. Service Area 1 followed with 1,178.
Trash cans are sitting at the curb longer than expected in parts of unincorporated Palm Beach County, where new garbage collection contracts have left some residents wondering when their trash will actually be picked up. Since the contracts took effect Oct. 1, the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) has received 5,543 customer notification forms through Oct. 13, nearly double its normal volume. The agency says approximately 2,700 of those contacts would be expected under normal conditions, leaving roughly 2,800 above the usual volume. (SWA)
Meanwhile, residents are deciding whether to leave full cans outside until a truck arrives.
“We feel like just leaving it out there all the time, which I don’t want to do that because that looks tacky,” Lamberson said. “But you know, you do what you have to do.”
That can create another concern in communities with homeowners association rules restricting how long cans can remain outside. CBS12 News has not received reports of residents being fined because of these collection delays. Whether associations are making exceptions during the transition remains unclear.
What’s causing the delays?
An SWA spokesperson told CBS12 News that new haulers and redrawn collection district boundaries have created an adjustment period as crews learn their routes. That includes identifying homes receiving at-door service for seniors and people with disabilities.
Belsito said instructions about positioning the cans have also caused frustration.
“Now all of a sudden, they’re saying people are putting it out backwards, and the machine can’t pick it up,” he said.
The seven-year contracts cover nearly 213,000 curbside residences. Garbage is collected twice weekly, while recycling, yard waste and bulk items are each collected once a week.
Some residents are willing to give the haulers time.
“Just the timing has been a little weird, but again, it’s only been two weeks,” Jack Ross said.
The SWA says haulers are improving and expects a quick return to normal service. It also says call volume is 18% lower than during the previous collection contract transition in 2019.
When is your trash supposed to be picked up?
Residential collection runs from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the SWA. All garbage, recycling, yard waste and bulk items must be curbside before 6 a.m. on the scheduled collection day.
Some residents received notices about the collection changes, but Lamberson said she did not.
“I wish we had been notified. We were not notified,” she said. “We just have to get this resolved. I think that’s not too much to ask.”
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The SWA says it is monitoring routes and working directly with contractors to resolve missed pickups. Residents can verify their collection days on the SWA website or report problems by calling 561-697-2700.