Miami residents push back against proposed cuts to waste pickup, recycling
MIAMI - Residents are voicing strong opposition to the City of Miami's consideration of scaling back bulky waste pickup and recycling services.
At a preliminary vote on Thursday, city commissioners debated reducing weekly bulky waste collections to every other week or once a month, prompting public outcry.
City officials have attributed the proposed changes to financial constraints, noting that the $380 annual trash fee has remained unchanged since 2010.
Aging equipment and outdated machinery have reportedly made it difficult to meet the city's weekly service commitments.
Abigail Dubearn, a resident of Coconut Grove, expressed concern about the potential changes.
"I think they need to keep our streets clean," she said, referencing a pile of garbage outside her home awaiting pickup. "I think that's a bad decision. We should maintain a weekly service."
Other residents echoed similar concerns, highlighting the current challenges in waste management.
Eugene Noska shared photos of garbage left near his daughter's school, describing the situation as already problematic. "I'm dropping my child off, and I see the pile of garbage all around," he told commissioners.
For Bob Powers, the issue goes beyond bulky waste. While he was open to less frequent recycling collections, he pointed out inefficiencies in the system, citing high contamination rates in recyclables that drive up costs.
"Pizza boxes don't go into recycling," Powers said, adding that food-contaminated items are unusable.
City officials acknowledged the contamination problem, stating that rejected recyclables create "significant additional costs." However, Dubearn pushed back, arguing that the city should have the facilities to separate contaminated materials from clean recyclables.
The Miami City Commission voted earlier this year to increase the cap on the annual trash fee from $380 to $440 per household, allowing for a future increase.
While most residents seem inclined to maintain the current level of service, they recognize it could come at an additional cost.
For now, the commission has deferred the decision on bulky waste and recycling services until next month.
