Hang in there, trash collection in the New Orleans region is slowly ramping up parish leaders say.
Jefferson Parish officials say trucks will start crisscrossing the parish today to pick up the bags of trash that have been sitting on the ground rotting and festering for weeks. Extra trucks will join those that are emptying the cans.
Clay Richardson of Waste Connections told parish leaders that regular service garbage trucks will still empty only the trash cans, while additional trucks will collect the bags of trash and debris sitting curbside.
Trash collection in the Barataria area continues to be a struggle because it was revealed at a parish council meeting that the bridge across the bayou to the neighborhood cannot accommodate large garbage trucks.
In New Orleans, the city has selected Ramelli Waste to pick up trash bags in Algiers, Uptown, and Mid-City.
"The city’s contract with Ramelli will stabilize solid waste collection in Service Area 1 for more than 3,000 households. Ramelli will begin work tomorrow with four trucks focused on removing curbside solid waste and bagged trash; additional trucks will be added as they become available,” said New Orleans city spokesperson, Beau Tidwell in a statement released Wednesday.
Ramelli Waste will start with four trucks collecting trash. City leaders are still considering bids for waste collectors for the rest of the city.
Richard’s and Metro Services Group already resumed limited solid waste collection and more help is on the way.
"Yesterday, IV Waste began supporting Metro Services Group in Service Area 2 with seven trucks. Those resources will continue to support Tuesday through Saturday for the foreseeable future,” said Tidwell.
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The city has not forgotten about the piles of storm debris still waiting to be collected.
"The City’s emergency debris removal contractor, Ceres, began collections earlier this week of an estimated 200,000 cubic yards (54,000 tons) of vegetative debris that will be picked up via three passes. As of this morning, upwards of 17,000 cubic yards (4,250 tons) had been retrieved,” said Tidwell.
For residents who just can not wait to have their trash removed, the city opened a waste transfer station on Elysian Fields where residents can haul bags of trash and debris themselves to the drop-off site.