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CleanScapes, the new "green" local garbage company, has been driving us nuts here on Capitol Hill, with up to three or four trucks parking various times of the day near the intersection of Bellevue and Thomas, leaving us wondering why they need so many trucks when they clearly have nothing to do. Well, it turns out, they did have something to do: "Garbage and recycling have piled up at hundreds of Seattle apartments, condos, and businesses in recent weeks due to missed pickups..." writes this morning's Seattle Times. "CleanScapes and Waste Management, which divide the city between them, have skipped 5 percent of pickups at apartments, condos, and businesses with dumpster service, according to SPU officials." Nice.
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It's odd that they're missing pickups, when they always seem to be out and about. I've had trucks at my place making pickups at 10pm on a Sunday night and once mid-week at 1 in the morning.
I think they're just really disorganized and perhaps unprepared for the complexity of the task (CleanScapes has never had a major contract before). But seriously, day in and day out they park for 15 minutes in the loading zones and bus stops around my intersection, get out, talk to one another, then get in, head off, and are back within an hour or two. It wouldn't be such a big deal, but they're sort of loud, they make that beeping sound whenever they back up (which they need to park, I guess), and just don't seem to have anything to do.
I hate to blame them for disorganization for a new, huge contract. But shouldn't you be hired for things you're capable of doing? Otherwise, I'd be a fucking CEO right now.
So, they totally missed my house pick-up. Is the city okay with me leaving it on the side of the road until they manage to pick it up, or will I get fined?
How about if I start leaving breadcrumbs from Republican and Bellevue?
On another note-- wtf is up with Capitol Hill residents throwing their unwanted goods on any ol' corner?
Normally, I'm okay with finding free stuff. I fucking love it. The other weekend, I got hella free DVDs. But this last weekend, someone put all their shit on OUR corner. Which means WE get dinged, not them. I'm pretty sure it's from one of the apartments on one of the other corners of the intersection... so I'm not sure why they didn't use their own damn corner.
Luckily, it was all gone by the next (rainy) morning, and I got a free hiking backpack out of it.
I hope you had a hella rad time watching your hella free dvds, TroyJMorrison
I have been hella busy so I haven't had any time.
In Belltown, the recycle dumpster are still out... are those ever going away? It is nicer and cleaner in the alley and driveway... I do have to say that...
Waste Management has missed half the pick ups at my work since this transition started and the number on the side of the dumpster goes to a recording where you can't leave a message.
According to KIRO, they claim the city and public haven't complained once about their operation since the new operation started. Kind of hard to when you're full of shit and don't take incoming calls.
I don't totally blame CleanScapes for the foul-ups; there's always going to be some glitches when a new company takes over a service contract of this magnitude.
I DO however, think Allied needs to take a lot more of the blame. When I spoke to the property manager for my theatre a couple of days ago about not receiving pick-up, she mentioned CS had initially had some trouble even finding the dumpster - because it wasn't where Allied's location records said it was supposed to be. Also, apparently Allied had a billing address on-file for my PM that was over five years old! Somehow, they always managed to get the bills to the right address, but they never bothered to update the address in their files, or at least not in the files they handed over to CS.
Comte, perhaps doing a little research before speaking will save you some embarrassment. The City of Seattle provides the billing information and it's the City of Seattle provides maps and dumpster location. What I'm trying to say is it appears that Cleanscape and Allied never exchanged any information and Cleanscape is just trying to pass the blame to excuse their ineptitude. Speaking of ineptitude are you sure you aren't employed by Cleanscape...seems it'd be a perfect fit for you.
Hi all – Chris Martin, President of CleanScapes here - My apologies to anyone who experienced solid waste issues over the past four weeks. This was the largest solid waste transition in the country and the first in Seattle in several decades. Unfortunately on occasion we had to have trucks meet to share keys, remotes, etc to gain access to multi-family apartments as the previous contractor did not deliver us the keys per plan. And, as one commenter noted, the addresses provided were often “utility billing addresses” – the address where City water/sewer and trash bills go. We believe most issues are resolved and are working on fine tuning collection routes and other issues. I ask that anyone with noise or other unresolved complaints contact me directly at chrism@cleanscapes.com.
I’d like to thank the businesses and residents of Seattle for their support during the transition and the staff of Seattle Public Utilities for their diligence and assistance on locating some difficult collection zones and access codes/keys.