After change to once-a-week pickup, some Md. residents say their trash hasn't been collected

CLINTON, Md. - A foul smelling problem is building up in Prince George's County. The trash collection schedule for residents was recently changed and it has caused many people to say their trash has yet to be picked up.

Prince George's County notified residents on April 27 that their curbside trash and recycling pickup would be reduced to one day a week instead of the usual two or three time-a-week pickup. This was to take effect the week of May 2.

The county found that most people were not utilizing the twice-a-week pickup, with people having less trash and more recycling in recent years. The county deemed it unnecessary to have multiple pickup days per week and reducing this schedule would save the county some money.

However, several residents have contacted FOX 5 saying that their trash was never picked up last week and they are still waiting.

In Carla McClinton's case, her trash has not been picked up in three weeks. It got so bad that she had to move her trash inside her garage. She said that move has attracted mice to her Clinton home. With weeks of trash building up along with a string of rainy days, McClinton has reached her breaking point.

"I started calling the county on April 21st," said McClinton. "And today when I came home, they had picked up three bags. I called them again, and they said, 'Oh, we are going to make it out, we have you, we are investigating it.' But they came out and got three bags, and the rest of the trash, as you can see, is still here."

The county maintains that they notified all residents through direct mail correspondence, two sets of door hangers and an online address lookup tool. More information is available at onceaweek.mypgc.us