Big Drop In Trash Collection Complaints Against Fairfax Co. Contractor

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — The number of complaints against a trash collection company in Fairfax County has dropped significantly over the past year after the county threatened enforcement actions against the trash hauler.

“I am pleased to share that this year the complaints related to American Disposal Services have decreased by 85 percent, and the average monthly complaint count has dropped from 150 to just 20,” Walkinshaw said Oct. 19 in his weekly constituent newsletter.

In response to hundreds of complaints received in 2022 about poor service by American Disposal Services, Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw introduced a board matter before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directing county staff to consider enforcement actions and consumer complaints against the company.

The complaints against American Disposal Services included missed collection of refuse, recyclables, and yard waste. In some cases, the complaints were made by large HOAs and similar neighborhood organizations representing thousands of residents.

In 2022, the complaints became so numerous that about 86 percent of service-related complaints received by the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environment Services were coming from American Disposal Services customers, according to Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik.

Trash pickups by private, contracted collectors like American Disposal Services serve about 90 percent of residents and almost all businesses in Fairfax County.

Problems with American Disposal Services also were an issue in 2019, when the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed county staff to “take whatever legal action may be available” to address community complaints of late pick-ups, missed pick-ups, and a failure to meet commitments to customers by American Disposal Services.

A previous settlement between Fairfax County and American Disposal Services in 2019 led to a $2,500 civil penalty for code violations.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, trash and recycling contractors in the region struggled to keep pace with large volumes of waste due to a shortage of workers. But most trash contractors in Fairfax County recovered and improved service by early 2022.

Complaints against American Disposal Services, on the other hand, rose dramatically in 2022. "All of us have heard from constituents who have experienced late pick-ups, missed pick-ups, and poor customer services," Walkinshaw said in the board matter introduced in September 2022.

Walkinshaw's introduction of the board matter ultimately led to a signed consent agreement between Fairfax County and American Disposal Services in October 2022, requiring them to raise pay for their workers, hire more drivers and improve customer service.

Key provisions of the consent agreement included a $5,000 civil penalty per day for noncompliance, pre-paid tuition offered by the company for driver training, and starting wage increases for drivers of at least 20 percent and collection crews of at least 10 percent.

Failure to collect properly set-out refuse, yard waste, and recyclables on a weekly basis and failure to make the changes outlined in the consent agreement would result "in the application of significant, defined financial penalties each day until the overdue items are completed," according to the agreement.

For the time being, the consent agreement appears to be paying off for customers of American Disposal Services.

In his Oct. 19 newsletter, Walkinshaw thanked "all of the community members who reached out to share your experiences, County staff who have worked diligently to correct this situation, and the hardworking solid waste drivers who serve our community."

RELATED: Churches Face Higher Fees For Trash Pickup As Fairfax Co. Ends Service