Hazelwood Officials Address Abandoned Recycling Company Eyesore
HAZELWOOD (KDKA) – Some people in Hazelwood are outraged.
They say when the Pittsburgh Recycling Company went bankrupt, the owners moved and left all the trash behind.
KDKA's Ralph Iannotti Reports:
It left residents with a big, smelly mess on their hands.
Community leaders held a press conference on the problem Friday morning.
Neighbors, who brought signs and even an inflatable rat, say it's a breeding ground for the vermin.
The city says its hands are tied because the recycling plant is on private property.
KDKA's Bob Allen Reports:
In the meantime, neighbors say the rats are multiplying and invading their homes.
"My mother's 93-years-old," said Stanley Denovich, "she looks out her window now, she sees a pile of garbage. My dog on average catches two or three rats per month running around the yard. I had to spend like $1,700 to have the building fumigated and have rat boxes and stuff put out."
But city officials are hopeful for a quick resolution.
City Councilman Corey O'Connor says the company has not responded to demands and citations to clean up the property. But he hopes a bankruptcy judge will help provide some relief.
"It's all coming to a head, we hope Monday," said Councilman O'Connor. "I mean, we really hope the judge in this matter will move this forward so we can get some leeway to go in and clean it up a little bit."
KDKA's Bob Allen Reports:
Several employees from Pittsburgh Recycling Company say they're still owed several weeks' pay.
Officials say they hope a federal bankruptcy judge will allow them to move forward, because the rat problem will only get worse with summer.
RELATED LINKS
Mayor Looking At Options To Get Abandoned Hazelwood Plant Cleaned Up (5/1/14)
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