Trash Continues to Pile Up

I am the first to cut the city a little slack in terms of dealing with this unprecedented snow-ice-freeze weather we’ve experienced over the last ten days. But the trash situation is getting absolutely out of control. Residents have been pleading for some, any pick up to take place, and we keep on being let down.

The fist message of false hope came Saturday night when DPW stated that we would have our trash picked up on Sunday.

It wasn’t.

Then last night reps from the Mayor’s office told the ANC that regular trash service would resume today, so you should put (or frankly, keep) your trash out on the curb. In fact they also told us to put recycling out too.

As of writing (early Tuesday night) nothing has been picked up on the blocks near me.

I was given a false bit of hope when I heard the tell-tale sound of a trash truck rumbling up 33rd St. But they just drove by without stopping. I haven’t heard the slightest hint of another truck around Georgetown since.

As the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will tell you what DPW is telling us:

Trash, recycling, and food waste collections have resumed, and Tuesday collections will continue on schedule.

Residents are encouraged to place trash and recycling bins at their normal collection point. Food waste bins should be set out at the front curb to support safe and efficient service while crews continue working through weather-related impacts.

If your trash or recycling is not collected on your scheduled day, please leave your bins out, as missed collections will be prioritized the following day. If materials have not been collected within two days, residents should report the issue to 311.

So the only advice I can offer is to just keep the trash out until its picked up. And if it happens to be picked up before Friday, go ahead and put it out again Thursday night. And call 311 to complain.

Listen, this is a hard job. And I respect the staff that do this immensely. But it’s still a job, a job that has to actually be done. Lets keep the pressure on to make sure it actually gets done.