Saturday, July 4, 2009

Garbage Service

I'm pretty big into recycling - it's important to me and it should be important to all of us since we all get to share this big blue and green ball we live on. I take it pretty seriously. I rinse and sort everything that can possibly be recycled and then either put it out for pick up (which we pay for) or find someone to take it by driving it to a recycling facility.

Our neighborhood pick-up takes plastic, non-cardboard paper, and aluminum. So I sort, rinse, and put it out in due course. It does take more effort than simply tossing it, but no big deal - it's all worth it. Hazardous waste, glass, batteries, weird types of plastic, cardboard - all that goes to other facilities.

We had missed the last two weekly pick-ups, so we were really backed up this morning. We have two blue bins, plus we have three extra blue "garbage" bins that we use for recycling that the recycle guys never fail to pick up with the recycling. We also fill up paper grocery bags with our newspaper and other paper, so that is sorted and put neatly behind the official recycling bins. All in all, you'd have to be a moron to think our recycling pile was intended to be garbage. And today, Mr. Lawyer spent a good long time getting it all put out on time before he left for work. I was excited to get it all out at once because it was starting to encroach on the rest of the garage.

Except the recycling guys didn't take it. The regular garbage truck did. And not only that, but they picked up everyone else's recycling (Yes, I followed them down the street, shocked and horrified, barefoot, and carrying a half-naked child) and chucked it in with the garbage. And that was that....into the landfill it went.

I tried to call the customer service number, but they weren't open, it being July 3. Strangely, this has happened a few times before, usually on a holiday. It didn't dawn on me, but my buddy Bill pointed out today that no doubt they had to pay the workers time and a half holiday pay today. And they just didn't want to bother. So they were screwing the customer who pays for this service, screwing the workers out of their holiday pay, and worst of all, screwing the environment. Nice.

I've called to complain before. Previously, the woman who I spoke with told me that they sort out the garbage and pull the recycling when they are done with the route. Apparently I sound like I was born yesterday, because obviously that was a blatant falsehood. They also told me that they would "let the route supervisors know." It's my opinion that if a truck isn't running its route on any given day, it's because the supervisors told them not to. Again - just a hunch here.

I'll call on Monday and report back with whatever response they have to offer. I'll be interested to see what they have to say. In the interim, I will remain incredibly pissed off.

UPDATE: I called today (Monday July 7) about 10:00a.m. The customer care woman told me that they did not pick up recycling on Friday since it was prior to a holiday. I told her yes, they did and they threw it out(!!!). She wasn't sure what to say and offered to have a supervisor call me back. I have not gotten a call yet.

ETA - Hey, I already used that graphic. Oops!

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