For decades, as garbage collection across the nation has become more automated, Homewood remained rare among municipalities as it continued a tradition of “backdoor pickup,” a labor-intensive system run by city workers.
“We haven’t been able to find or retain employees in our garbage service,” Homewood Council member Barry Smith said at the. “At this point we’re down 11 employees. By the end of this week, we’ll be down 13. We have a lot of our street employees having to work toward running trash routes so that the trash can get picked up.”
“The factors driving us to this point range from short staffing to the growing cost of the sorting of our recycling,” McClusky saidto residents. “Other Over The Mountain communities have been facing this very same issue, and have made the switch. At the end of the day, be assured that we believe we have made the best decision for the City of Homewood. That also includes doing what is best for our staff.
About 38 percent of what people have been putting in recycling was not fit for recycling and ended up in a landfill, city officials say. Glass is not allowed as a recycling material. “Nobody takes it anymore,” Squires said.“They have an automation system, and it separates plastics, aluminums, food, everything,” Squires said.