Lexington County trash collector pledges to improve service

Advanced Disposal officials promised Tuesday to correct missed trash pickups across Lexington County.

“We’re trying to fix it,” company spokesman Mark Nighbor said. “Our focus is getting the waste collected on a consistent basis.”

The pledge came after county officials said missed pickups have increased significantly since Advanced Disposal took over service in additional areas in mid-March.

Collection is “less than satisfactory,” county spokesman Harrison Cahill said. County officials received more than 600 complaints in the past five weeks.

Advanced Disposal handles curbside collection of garbage, recycling and yard waste for about 33,000 homes spread over the 758-square-mile county.

The problem developed even though company officials said extra equipment and staff were being added and routes shortened to handle the new areas.

Irmo recently notified the company that the town is looking to hire a replacement by mid-summer, Mayor Hardy King said.

It’s the third time the county has warned the company about poor service in the past two years, Cahill said.

Much of the current problem is in the Irmo-St. Andrews areas, officials said. “It’s been going on and on,” County Councilman Phil Yarborough of Irmo said of missed collections. “It’s a nightmare.”

Part of the problem is ongoing confusion about changes in pickup days, Nighbor said. Company personnel also are unfamiliar with some areas, county officials said.

Curbside collection is optional for homeowners, who pay nearly $16 per month for service instead of taking trash and recycling to 11 county-run centers.

This story was originally published April 24, 2017 at 8:24 PM with the headline "Lexington County trash collector pledges to improve service."