Lafayette residents are upset with the new parish trash services

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — In Lafayette, some people are not too happy with the parish’s new trash collection company.  Acadiana Waste Services took over trash collection from Republic Services last Monday.  The main complaint is trash is not being picked up.

LCG’s Environmental Quality Manager, Bess Foret, agrees that Acadiana Waste Services (AWS) has received thousands of calls. Foret notes that the transition from one collection company to another is a lot. LCG is working with both companies to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

Lafayette resident Sandra Joseph is one of those concerned that her trash has sat curbside for over a week.  

“I had planned to call but didn’t call but it needed to be picked up.  They did start picking up yesterday,” Joseph stated.

Foret admits AWS has received thousands of calls and is working through them.

“People get concerned asking, do they know about my call?  Do they know that I am in need of “X” or whatever it is?  AWS is getting a lot of those messages and working on things.  Unfortunately, they’re not able to call everybody back,” Foret explained.

Foret is asking residents to not use the Republic waste bins. That way they can be removed by Republic.  

“All those blue carts that have been out there have been accumulating since 2008.  At least 125,000 of those have got to go and at the same time new carts are coming in. AWS has to empty those carts,” said Foret.

If there is trash in the blue Republic trash bins, Acadiana Waste will first have to empty it before the bin can be removed.  Foret says that slows the process.

“There are some little kinks to work out. They have got new drivers and new routes and all those things.  Believe me, nobody wants them to succeed more than LCG or them,” Foret said.

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