Stafford County residents upset over trash pickup delays

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. - Stafford County residents have been flooding phone lines and complaining to local lawmakers after they say their trash went weeks without being picked up.

The delay in services occurred after a major company took over waste removal countywide.

FOX 5’s Tisha Lewis reports residents were being told they could go to the Rappahannock Regional Landfill and dump their own trash while the situation gets sorted out. 

That invitation ended Sunday.

Hank Thomassen says his trash went almost two weeks without being picked up. The situation became so bad, that he and several of his neighbors took their trash to the landfill themselves.

The trash debacle is reportedly the aftermath of Canadian-based GFL Environmental Inc. taking over waste removal for two locally-owned companies.

Supervisor Monica Gary, who represents the Aquia District, says when the acquisition took place, trash pick-up stopped and just recently resumed sporadically. 

FOX 5 reached out to GFL, and we have not heard back. We’re told this was a countywide issue that impacted more than 150,000 people. 

At least one resident says her trash has still not been picked up since the company change over a month ago.

Alternative Waste LLC tells FOX 5 they placed trash bins in neighborhoods Wednesday. The company plans to come to the area to help communities having issues with their current waste providers.