'Major hiccups' drop sharply as new Macon garbage, recycling services roll along

After a bumpy start to the year with changes in garbage and recycling collection in Macon-Bibb County, officials say the problems largely have been fixed.

Six weeks after the changes went into effect Jan. 4, the number of missed routes and some of the confusion about pickup dates continues to decrease. Officials say they still have extra crews available as the county and the private Advanced Disposal Services garbage collection company continue to resolve some smaller issues.

"I think the number (of issues) is very, very minimal, and ultimately we're sending trucks back out within same day or within a 24-hour work period to get (any missed garbage) collected," said Adam Cochran, Advanced Disposal's general manager.

The changes went into effect in early January when Advanced Disposal took over garbage collection countywide, while the Macon-Bibb County Solid Waste Department focused on a new recycling program. The adjustments meant new collection dates for some Macon households, leading to Macon-Bibb and Advanced Disposal being inundated with calls about missed pickups and questions about the new services. Some residents complained that officials did not properly communicate the changes with them.

But officials said last week the call volume from Macon-Bibb residents about the garbage and recycling services continues to drop. By the end of the first week, about 3,000 people called Advanced and county phone lines. Now, the number of callers to the county's customer service desk is back to normal levels -- about 150 daily. That includes calls about recycling and garbage collection as well as questions about other county services.

"We're where we anticipated we should be right now," Solid Waste Director Kevin Barkley said. "In another month or so, it should be behind us completely, and we'll be looking forward to spring and picking up (more) yard waste."

Cochran from Advanced Disposal said he's currently receiving five to seven emails a day from customers saying their routes were missed. Advanced Disposal is picking up trash for an average of 10,000 households a day.

"I think it's 150 percent better than it was four and a half weeks ago," Cochran said.

The county's change in services also meant a price increase for residents. For residents whose trash previously had been collected by Macon-Bibb crews, the cost increased from $15 to $20 a month, but if Advanced Disposal already handled the service, the price jumped from $12.75 to $20 per month. Advanced Disposal and Macon-Bibb are splitting yard waste duties.

Macon-Bibb officials also have to take care of some other issues beyond missed garbage pickups, including determining how churches pay for their collection.

The cost for churches within the former city of Macon was decided by the number of carts they used, while churches in the former unincorporated Bibb County did not pay for the first cart used, only additional carts.

The county also is looking at whether garage services should be free or discounted for indigent residents.

RECYCLING MOMENTUM CONTINUES

The recycling program continues to gain steam. Last month Macon-Bibb commissioners approved the purchase of 3,456 new recycling carts, and residents already have requested more than 2,700 of them.

Overall, the county has seen more than 4,000 requests for recycling carts since the county first ordered the 65-gallon containers in September. With the new bins still being distributed, Barkley said he anticipates the recycling efforts will continue to attract new households each month.

About 3.5 percent of garbage, or 102 tons, was diverted from the main landfill in January because of recycling, he said. Diverting waste from the Walker Road Landfill has become more critical as the county looks to delay its closing. Officials have estimated it could cost about $10 million to shut down that landfill.

"It's been a good experience for us to get out there and get recycling going," Barkley said. "We're still looking at how to move forward and keep on advancing the (recycling) collection program."

While various items such as cardboard, aluminum and paper are being picked for recycling, glass will have to be thrown in the trash because the county can't find a nearby recycling center that will accept the product, Macon-Bibb spokesman Chris Floore said.

"We're in the hands of the market, and right now we have no one to take it," he said.

The transition brought forth some "major hiccups" early on, and even though the services are running better, people should still contact the county or Advanced Disposal if problems arise, Floore said.

Efforts also continue to improve a revamped Solid Waste website with the addition of a calendar showing the "every other week" pickup for recycling.

The county is working to set up an address database online that would allow residents to get the exact days for their recycling collection. The updated website has been viewed 8,287 times since it launched Jan. 6, Floore said.

"If someone has a concern, we need them to call and let us know. We still have manpower dedicated to get it (handled)," he said.

Anyone with questions about the new collections or anyone seeking a new recycling or garbage container should call the Solid Waste Department at 803-0499, Macon-Bibb customer service at 751-7400 or make a request on the Macon-Bibb County website under "See, Click, Fix."

Residents also can go to sw.maconbibb.us to find out which day trucks will run on their street.

Information from The Telegraph's archives was used in this report. To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623.

This story was originally published February 14, 2016 at 9:47 PM with the headline "'Major hiccups' drop sharply as new Macon garbage, recycling services roll along ."