The amount of residential trash produced in Northern Virginia has surged with most people out of work and all Virginia students attending school from home.
According to John Poague, the owner of Patriot Disposal, trash amounts have risen by 30-40% due to people cleaning out their houses, food waste, and increased shipping.
“It’s taking guys who would normally work a nine hour day, and now they work an eleven hour day,” Poague said.
The trash increase, however, is not the only thing causing trash haulers’ grief.
Trash haulers, deemed essential workers during this crisis, have a greater risk of exposure to the new coronavirus, especially since they are dealing with potentially contaminated waste every day.
Although proper precautions, such as gloves and masks, seem to be a common-sense way to keep trash collectors healthy, they may not be as feasible as they seem.
“We try to have [trash haulers] wear them as much as they can. On the average day they run 3-5 miles. Every stop they’re running out of the truck, and on a warmer day they’re sweaty. These aren’t suitable conditions for a face mask,” said Poague.
Many trash hauling companies have put new restrictions in place.
Republic Services, for example, will no longer collect waste that is not contained in bags, and Patriot Disposal will not be collecting bulk items.
According to Poague, Loudoun County has not been cooperative in implementing safety measures for trash collectors. He said that Prince William and Fairfax counties, in comparison, have been very helpful with establishing guidelines, which have allowed them to temporarily stop the collection collecting bulk items and yard waste.
“Loudoun refused to do anything to protect the workers, Loudoun County won’t even return phone calls. It’s like they don’t believe that the virus is out there. What they don’t understand is if our guys get sick, then the trash isn’t going to get picked up, and then it’s a bigger problem,” said Poague.
In a statement by the Loudoun County Government to Potomac Local News, it was emphasized that Loudoun County residents were urged to delay putting out yard waste, that they are closely monitoring the waste management operations across the region.
“The county, along with regional leaders, are closely monitoring the waste management operations across the region, and thus far, all data and industry recommendations indicate that with proper precautions, the collection of household waste and recycling, including yard waste, is able to continue,” said the statement.
While the situation may seem to be a simple matter, the Loudoun County Government states it simply cannot change trash and yard waste pickup requirements. A county ordinance requires that major haulers collect yard waste. The county government can’t do it because it does not operate a municipal trash collection service.
All trash collection within the county operates through contractors who typically contract with local homeowner’s associations.
“In Loudoun, the Board of Supervisors would have to take action in order to change the County’s ordinance. The public process for changing a county ordinance has a number of requirements that can take time. At this point the Board has not yet take up the issue during one of their business meetings,” the county tells Potomac Local News.
