The City of Homewood Finance Committee received an update from Amwaste detailing the first 13 weeks of their garbage service for the city. Representatives outlined many of the hurdles they had faced and their plan to address issues that still arise. They explained many of the missed pick ups were either an underestimation of trucks needed, broken down trucks, or mis-communication among their employees that led to carts being missed. With over 6,400 residential addresses in Homewood, the issue of repeated missed pick ups in a particular area was improved tremendously as new drivers learned the routes.

Adding to this issue, was an original estimation that 400 homes would utilize the "back-door" pick up provided for residents qualifying for a medical disability or 65 years of age or older. However, the response exceeded over 800 residents requesting this service. A smaller truck is used for this route to better navigate narrow streets and tight turnarounds, such as cul-de-sacs. A second truck was acquired to expand this specific service and has reduced missed pick ups.

Trucks start their routes at 6:00am after a safety meeting every morning. Amwaste is striving for an earlier finish time. Mondays & Tuesdays are finishing up around 5:30pm while Thursdays & Fridays are done by 1:30pm. Amwaste's goal by their six-month mark, February 2024, is a finish time for Mondays & Tuesdays by 3:00pm.

With over 166,400 pick ups, Amwaste is reporting a 99.3% success rate, with a goal of 99.7%. To help achieve this mark, Amwaste has employed a staff member dedicated soley to handling ticket submissions through the SeeClickFix portal. Automatic ticket clearance before an issue is resolved no longer occurs. We encourage residents to submit a ticket HERE with any problems, as this process is crucial for data collection to improve overall service.

REMINDERS

• Monday and Tuesday are mixed pick up days. Anything and everything is allowed in the cart including household trash and recycling. If your pick up is missed on this day, the subsequent pick up will still be taken to RePower. Learn more about RePower HERE.

• Everything in carts on Thursday and Friday goes to the landfill. 

• Carts should be facing toward the street, within two to three feet of the curb, so that the truck’s arm can pick up and empty the bin.

• Carts should NOT be located within four feet of any fixed object (mailbox, fire hydrant, etc.), in any direction. 

• On pick up days, please make every effort to park cars away from carts to allow trucks to reach them.

• Do not pile bags around carts. Make every effort to place all bags inside the cart. It is okay if the lid is slightly or even fully open. If you have a larger load, contact the city’s Public Works Department at 205-332-6819 to let them know and the claw truck can come and retrieve larger loads.

If you would like to watch Amwaste's update given Monday, November 13, 2023, watch the video below: