Case Study: Solid Waste

Case Study: Solid Waste

The City of Tarpon Springs, Fla., contracted with Waste Management Inc. in 1996 to collect garbage, yard waste and recyclables. In the fourth year of the five-year contract, there were so many complaints about poor service that the city commissioners were planning to dump the company and resume in-house service.

Complaints actually began soon after Waste Management was awarded the contract. Residents and business owners said pickups were missed or were delayed by a day. There were repeated reports that crews left garbage on the ground or cans rolling around in the street where they were hit by cars. In addition, trash flew from the back of garbage trucks as they drove through neighborhood streets.

By early 1997, the city logged so many complaints that it began fining Waste Management for failure to meet the terms of the contract. Despite this effort to correct problems, residents and business owners continued to express dissatisfaction into the fall of 2000. At that time, the city commissioners decided that it would be in the best interest of the city to resume sanitation services itself when the Waste Management contract expires.

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