Waste Management strike aftermath: Collection, dropoff updates

| Utilities | Waste Management strike | West Seattle news

Followup information is just in from Seattle Public Utilities regarding the now-over Waste Management strike (here’s the Teamsters‘ ratification announcement), and it answers the question we’ve received most frequently since last night – yes, you still have a few days to take trash/yard waste to transfer stations for free. Here’s the full news release from SPU:

Teamsters Local Union No. 117 recycling drivers voted this morning to end their strike against Waste Management, and garbage and food/yard waste collections have resumed across Seattle. The city of Seattle thanked both parties for reaching an agreement. At least partial collection of recycling materials is also expected today.

The mayor said city inspectors are on the streets today, checking for garbage, food/yard waste and recycling that went uncollected yesterday. Fines will be assessed against the company for materials that were missed yesterday. No fines will be levied for materials missed today.

The mayor also announced that, through Sunday, Seattle residents serviced by Waste Management can continue to drop off up to six bags up to six bags of either garbage or yard waste in any combination at the transfer stations — for free. Yard waste should not be in plastic bags. Recycling drop off is always free.

Residents can put out any extra materials that were previously missed, on their next regular collection day, through next Wednesday.

If your collection is missed, please report it.

The mayor also announced that, through Sunday, Seattle residents serviced by Waste Management can continue to drop off up to six bags of either garbage or yard waste in any combination at the transfer stations — for free. Yard waste should not be in plastic bags. This free service will last through this Sunday. Recycling drop off is always free.

Check SPU’s website for station hours, and webcam links. The South Transfer station will be open until will be open until 9 p.m., tonight and Friday.

SPU will provide updates as needed. Customers with solid waste service issues or concerns may call the Call Center at (206) 684-3000.

GoGo August 2, 2012 (11:21 am)

So those of us with Wednesday pick ups are screwed for another week?

WSB August 2, 2012 (11:29 am)

That’s how it appears. Please be sure to let SPU know that you were missed twice (see link in their news release) if you have not already (or, it might not hurt to tell them again). I am not certain they counted Wednesday of last week as a full missed day … I don’t know what parts of town besides the Wednesday zone in West Seattle were affected, but it did seem from the comments we received that day that everybody had called it quits by midmorning. The actual strike news took a few more hours to trickle out. – TR

chas redmond August 2, 2012 (11:42 am)

So the original comment from SPU to put your garbage/recycle/yard waste out on next Tuesday is now invalid?

WSB August 2, 2012 (11:55 am)

Paragraph 4 sounds to me (a Tuesday customer) like we should put everything we have out next Tuesday and it’ll all be picked up … which applies to those with regular collection days every day “through next Wednesday,” it says.

ca August 2, 2012 (12:33 pm)

we have wed pickup, only garbage was picked up yesterday, screwed on recycle/yard waste. made a report, hopefully picked up soon and credited correctly.

Alki Resident August 2, 2012 (3:52 pm)

Im confused, why do we need to report our missed pickups? Isn’t it obvious we were all missed?

WSB August 2, 2012 (4:12 pm)

On Tuesday, for example, some people were picked up. More were not, and others would have been IF either WM or the city had said they were doing some pickups. Our neighborhood, for example, saw a WM truck go through (I published a photo here), but it was without warning, and even though we are based at home and were here at the time, it caught us by too much surprise to get our carts out. And yesterday, WM said it intended to pick up trash but not recycling/yard waste …

here August 2, 2012 (4:21 pm)

15 days since garbage was picked up. Bees are swarming all around it. I have called SPU and reported it online twice. I am determined to get credited for this.

WSB August 2, 2012 (4:42 pm)

“Here,” let us know what happens. Could be a symbolic story of how this all goes post-strike. Sorry, meantime, to hear you are stuck with a mess. – TR

Jojofrenchfry August 2, 2012 (4:45 pm)

Most of my “garbage” goes into my yard waste bin. I’m a Wednesday pickup and now I have two week old food scraps sitting out. Yuck. Not to mention, I haven’t been able to work on my garden for two weeks without a place to store my yard waste.

shed22 August 2, 2012 (4:50 pm)

How is it possible that the most informed outlet in West Seattle could be “caught” by “too much surprise”? If WSB is caught by surprise, WE ARE ALL caught by surprise! : )

WSB August 2, 2012 (5:00 pm)

Well, we did get the word out for others, at least, once the tips started coming in … but if the replacement drivers were really brought in from out of town, chances are their ranks didn’t include any WSB readers that could have tipped us :)

Lashanna August 2, 2012 (6:55 pm)

I’ll be interested in how credits work. I attempted to get a credit for 2 of the 3 skipped weeks during the snow last winter. After phone calls galore, I was told that the system was not set up to credit customers. Iveas told that the city council has to make the revision for allowing non- service/missed service refunds. I talked to an admin a couple times, but soon lost energy :( I wonder how this will shake down! Good luck to those who still have trash!

m August 2, 2012 (10:27 pm)

@ Jojofrenchfry — I’m in the same position as you. Two Wednesdays have passed without garbage/yard waste/recycling pick-ups. The yard/food waste cart is full to the brim and teaming with insects.