Residents in Shelby County frustrated after weeks of missed trash pickup

FAIRLAND — Neighbors are frustrated by what they say has been more than two weeks since of missed trash pickup.

Residents say the garbage has been sitting on the curb and they have no answers as to when it will be picked up.

"They didn't show. I got a text saying sorry for the inconvenience, we'll pick your trash up tomorrow. Then they didn't show the next day," Marc Tresslar, who lives in the area, said.

"I even checked to see if I missed a holiday," Karen May, another resident, said. "Absolutely frustrating, almost to the point of being angry and I try not to get angry. We pay for a service we're not getting."

The Town of Fairland doesn't have a trash service for its residents. Instead, everyone has to hire their own trash company to pick up their trash.

The trash company the neighbors are complaining about is CGS, which was just bought out by Waste Management.

Not only is it an inconvenience; neighbors are concerned it's a health hazard. "It was super warm that first day it was supposed to be picked up, so it smelled like hot trash all over the neighborhood," William Trimble said.

Trimble said he waited on hold for nearly an hour, and after speaking with someone from Waste Management, he received a refund for the week. But he was told they would come the next trash day to get the trash.

Some neighbors WRTV spoke with said they assume the company is experiencing a driver shortage. WRTV was unable to confirm that.

"I want my trash picked up now," May said. "I want to know why. And I need to know if I need to get another service."

After repeated phone calls to Waste Management with no answer and no calls back, WRTV went to the Waste Management facility in Shelbyville that services the residents in Fairland.

We were given no comment and told that a member of the media team will be contacting us. We have not heard back.

WRTV also called the corporate office based out of Houston, where we were told to contact media relations. WRTV did so and has received no response.

"That trash can will sit here, if it gets empty it will sit here, if it gets emptied my son will take it back. If not it will sit here until mold grows," May said.

Neighbors say that with moldy food and animals in the neighborhood, trash can get scattered.

WRTV has also contacted the Shelby County Health Department regarding this issue. A health department representative was unaware of the issue and is looking into the situation.

We will update this story as we continue to press for answers.

For more on how to report a missed pickup, click here.