With their bins already full, residents have been forced to place their garbage next to the overflowing bins.
EBENEZER--Residents of Ebenezer Estate have expressed frustration with the ongoing garbage collection issues in their neighbourhood, claiming that the hauler has failed to adhere to the scheduled pickup dates, causing garbage to pile up and attract stray animals.
“Garbage has not been collected in our neighbourhood for most of last week. … As a result, bins are overflowing. If the bins are full, and some of them have food remains, the stray dogs in the neighbourhood are turning over the bins to have access to the food. As a result, garbage is strewn on the road and on the sidewalk,” residents said.
The garbage hauler was in the district on Monday night, but according to one resident only serviced one street.
The overflowing bins have created further challenges, especially for residents who are unable to transport their trash to larger dumpsters. The situation worsens when residents attempt to remove garbage from the overflowing bins, only to face the added problem of foul-smelling garbage. “That garbage would then be smelling badly!”
The residents acknowledge that occasional delays in garbage collection may occur due to valid reasons such as vehicle breakdowns or staff shortages. However, they argue that the problem has persisted for far too long. “While we can understand that at times there could be valid reasons why a scheduled date may be missed, this has been going on for too long,” said frustrated residents.
The community’s frustration has been compounded by a lack of response from the garbage hauler and government officials. “The hauler is not abiding by his own garbage schedule of picking up the garbage. Sometimes for one to two weeks, and no one is holding them accountable,” said one resident.
Residents of Ebenezer Estate have taken their concerns to the authorities, submitting letters with photos and detailed complaints, but have received no replies.
The issue also stems from the fact that one garbage truck is servicing three districts, including St. Peters, South Reward, and Ebenezer. “[The company name mentioned] has three districts, not one. One garbage truck is serving St. Peters, South Reward, and Ebenezer. You will never do the work properly with just one truck,” a resident pointed out.
A group chat of more than 400 Ebenezer Estate residents has been formed to discuss the issue, with many expressing their anger over the lack of action. “We sent several letters to the government, but to date, they have not sent one inspector to the district,” a resident said.
The residents are now calling for the garbage hauler to abide by the established schedule and ensure that garbage collection is consistent moving forward. “The Ebenezer Estate residents stated the garbage hauler has to abide by their garbage schedule and be consistent,” said one resident, urging authorities to take immediate action.
