Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has notified Waste Management that they are being fined more than $27,000 for excessive complaints and missed pickups of trash and recyclables.
The contract says the city can fine Waste Management when the number of complaints exceeds 1,000 missed garbage and recyclable pickups or 700 missed yard waste collection reports.
In May, the city received over 1,200 missed garbage reports and 648 missed yard waste reports. "There is a shortage of CDL drivers, I understand that," Stothert says. "But Waste Management needs to abide by the contract."
Stothert said the city will require Waste Management to separate yard waste collection in parts of the city to continue the production of OmaGro compost. "Waste Management needs to own this problem. We've been patient for four years."
The Mayor said Waste Management recently informed the city it would not be able to meet that contractual obligation.
