Coronavirus cases and staff shortages within Atlanta’s Department of Public Works led the city to cut down recycling and yard trimming collection to every other week, top officials confirmed Monday.
A higher-than-usual number of employees called out of work starting in early February, interim deputy public works commissioner Keith Robinson told the City Council on Monday. Several are recovering from COVID-19.
The department announced the schedule change last month and suggested it was tied to COVID cases.
Many residents, meanwhile, have become confused about when their recycling and trash will be picked up.
“This is a city utilities concern. I’ve received a number of concerns from citizens who are confused about the collection schedule,” Councilwoman Natalyn Archibong said during the meeting. “The confusion is around which bins to leave out — blue, green, when yard trimmings are picked up.”
Robinson clarified that for the week of March 1, recycling will be picked up, and yard trimmings will not. Next week, recycling will not be collected and yard trimmings will. That alternating pattern will continue for about the next three months. Trash will still be picked up every week, and bulk pickup can be scheduled by making an appointment.
For the public works department to offer full service, it needs about 75% of its staff to be available, Robinson said.
In early February, the staffing level went down to 60%, but call-outs have decreased in recent weeks, he said. Staffing is now closer to 70% and more employees are recovering from COVID-19, though Robinson did not provide a number for how many workers are out. There have been no deaths among public works employees as a result of COVID, he said.
Residents can set up service reminders at www.atlantaga.gov/solidwaste or by calling 311.
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