Recycled Confusion
Charlotte’s switch this week to a single-stream recycling system, replete with 310,000 giant, green rollout bins and new collection schedules, apparently threw quite a few residents for a loop.
City officials report that the 311 call center was positively deluged by folks with questions and concerns. On the first day that trucks rolled with the new collection system, 311 calls totaled 5,454 with 2,557 related to solid waste services.
By the second day, call volume peaked at 13,379, the second highest total in CharMeck 311 history, with 2,651 of them related to the jolly green bins. Officials say that repeat calling attempts contributed to the high volume, “with citizens abandoning calls due to the average speed of answer (approximately 7 ½ minutes) and redialing.”
Some of the most frequent questions and complaints, once citizens finally got through:
- When is my new collection day for garbage or recyclable collection?
- Why was the recyclable collection frequency changed to every other week?
- Why didn’t I receive information?
- How does the recycling program work i.e. do I have to separate items?
- I did not receive a recycling bin.
- Can I get a recycling container after choosing not to have one delivered to me?
- I have excess garbage because of the day change.
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