St. Lucie residents find themselves in a stinky situation with Waste Pro
St. Lucie County, Fl (treasurecoast.com) –Waste Pro, the county’s trash-collection contractor since 2004, has received nearly 8,700 complaints in the past 15 months from residents in unincorporated county, records show, complaining that trash and yard waste pickup was delayed or repeatedly missed for months.
March saw more grievances than any one month in the last two years: 1,163. Lakewood Park, Indian River Estates and PGA Village are some of the neighborhoods most affected, records show.
The ongoing issue has left some questioning whether the county should cut ties with Waste Pro.
The county has fined Waste Pro more than $170,500 since January 2020 for missed collections. Port St. Lucie, which has its own contract with Waste Pro, has had similar troubles and fined the company roughly $240,000 last year, according to city officials.
Waste Pro officials attribute its struggles to a staffing shortage amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The County Commission on April 13 discussed giving the company six months to improve its performance or it will look into other options.
The county’s contract with Waste Pro, renewed in 2018, doesn’t expire until 2029.
