MACOMB TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Macomb Township officials have taken action against Priority Waste after numerous complaints from residents about inconsistent trash collection service, voting unanimously to send the company a formal notice of default.
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Residents say they're frustrated with overflowing bins and repeated missed collections that leave garbage sitting out for days.
"I am very disappointed with the service we are getting from Priority," said Mike Koltuniak, a resident of Macomb Township.
The problems range from improper collection methods to extended delays in service.
"Sometimes, the garbage man picks up both the recycle and the garbage at the same time, puts it all together, which makes washing out peanut butter jars kind of frustrating," resident Jill Smith said.
Another resident, Tom Smith, says what bothers him the most is the smell.
"You have family over and you have bags and bags and containers of garbage in your subdivision. It looks horrible. Then it starts to smell," Tom Smith said.
Residents report that the inconsistency has been ongoing despite promises of improvement.
"It's hit or miss. Sometimes they come, sometimes they don't. Often the recycle bin sits out there for five or six days," Jill Smith said.
"It has gone from one day to three days to five days," Koltuniak added.
Residents say they initially gave the company time to address the issues but haven't seen improvement.
"At the very beginning when they weren't picking it up, they said well, we're just learning and our trucks are bad, so we gave them some time. But nothing's changed," Linda Vernier said.
Township Supervisor Frank Viviano said he hopes for a quick resolution following the board's unanimous vote to issue the formal notice of default.
"I see it as an invitation to formally bring them to the table and let's get this resolved like partners," Viviano said.
Previous report: Defecated in, axles disabled, Priority Waste details issues with purchased GFL trucks
When I reached out to Priority Waste, they attributed recent service delays to extreme weather conditions.
"The past 21 days of severe weather incidents, such as a tornado, heat indexes of 105 degrees and a holiday have contributed to the delays in services. The delays in service will be resolved by the end of this week," the company stated.
Residents remain concerned about the impact on their community's appearance.
"Everybody wants their community to look nice, but this is us for a couple days every week with the trash out front," Jill Smith said.
A public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13 to determine whether the default has been resolved by Priority Waste.
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