Frustration with Los Angeles’ new recycling program boiled over at City Hall on Tuesday, with council members grilling trash company executives and calling for new oversight to address soaring bills and poor customer service.
Lawmakers spent more than six hours reviewing some of the problems that have accompanied RecycLA, the commercial trash program that has sparked months of complaints from landlords, condominium owners and the city’s business groups.
"You have really created a monster," said Madelynn Kopple, whose family owns several residential buildings.
Council members sounded equally frustrated on Tuesday. Councilman Paul Koretz, one of the original proponents of RecycLA, said the program had become "an embarrassment." Councilman Mike Bonin described the RecycLA rollout as "nothing short of a hot mess." Councilwoman Nury Martinez, who heads the committee that conducted the hearing, told the audience she is "not interested in any more excuses."
"I’m furious [over] the fact that every single day I’m inundated with calls," she said.
"We’re taming the beast," said Doug Corcoran, director of public-sector services for Waste Management, which is assigned to much of the San Fernando Valley.
The council voted to implement the program in 2016, giving seven companies the exclusive right to collect trash in 11 designated sections of the city.
Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, who represents neighborhoods from Echo Park to Hollywood, said he had received assurances that RecycLA would improve the "customer experience" for landlords, business owners and condominium complexes.
To read the full story, visit http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-los-angeles-trash-problems-20180205-story.html.
Lawmakers spent more than six hours reviewing some of the problems that have accompanied RecycLA, the commercial trash program that has sparked months of complaints from landlords, condominium owners and the city’s business groups.
The feedback they received was frequently angry. One speaker accused the city’s private trash haulers of engaging in price gouging. A second described uncollected garbage that had backed up in an apartment trash chute, attracting rats and roaches. Several said their monthly trash bills had increased by double or more.
"You have really created a monster," said Madelynn Kopple, whose family owns several residential buildings.
Council members sounded equally frustrated on Tuesday. Councilman Paul Koretz, one of the original proponents of RecycLA, said the program had become "an embarrassment." Councilman Mike Bonin described the RecycLA rollout as "nothing short of a hot mess." Councilwoman Nury Martinez, who heads the committee that conducted the hearing, told the audience she is "not interested in any more excuses."
"I’m furious [over] the fact that every single day I’m inundated with calls," she said.
Amid those exasperated statements, sanitation officials said they are seeing substantive progress, with the city’s private trash haulers reducing the number of missed collections in recent weeks. A similar message came from the haulers themselves.
"We’re taming the beast," said Doug Corcoran, director of public-sector services for Waste Management, which is assigned to much of the San Fernando Valley.
The council voted to implement the program in 2016, giving seven companies the exclusive right to collect trash in 11 designated sections of the city.
Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, who represents neighborhoods from Echo Park to Hollywood, said he had received assurances that RecycLA would improve the "customer experience" for landlords, business owners and condominium complexes.
To read the full story, visit http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-los-angeles-trash-problems-20180205-story.html.