West Bloomfield Township Fights against Waste Management Nightmare
In West Bloomfield Township, they’re pursuing a $1.5 million forfeiture from the waste company GFL Environmental Inc. after it seemingly dropped the ball just before its contract was bought out by Priority Waste.
Waste Management Woes: Missing Trucks and Missed Pickups
When Priority Waste took over the community’s residential contracts from GFL, the switch led to some messy complications. Out of the estimated 380 trucks that were supposed to be received from GFL, over half of them weren’t fit for use. Unserviceable on the roads and failing to meet even the minimum requirements set by the Michigan Department of Transportation, these trashed trucks certainly threw a wrench in the transition.
As a result, Priority had to scramble to get things back in order — an entirely new challenge on top of their already troubled takeover. Home waste wasn’t being properly collected, recycling was left behind, and yard waste pickup seemed to have come to a complete halt. West Bloomfield residents reported their concerns, with over 1,000 calls coming into the township in just the first two weeks of the switch.
A Bailout Bond for GFL’s Shortfalls?
After reviewing the situation, West Bloomfield’s Board of Trustees approved seeking a $1.5 million forfeiture of the performance bond from GFL. As residents expressed their concerns, it started to seem more and more like GFL had faltered in the final weeks of June before the company switch. The trustees hope that forfeiting the bond and paying out the money to the township would help to make up for the poor performance.
If this ends up going to court and the township is successful, they plan to ask Priority Waste to credit $20 to each household that was affected by the failed pickovers. Not to mention, they aim to use the rest of the money to pay off attorney fees and reimburse the salaries of township employees. During this rough transition, some staff were dedicated almost entirely to fielding the flood of calls from concerned residents.
Looking Ahead: Optimism for West Bloomfield’s Waste Management
Despite the struggles, there are signs of hope that Priority Waste can get things back on track. In fact, one West Bloomfield resident shared that in his neighborhood, things seemed to have started to return to normal as of the second week of July.
Furthermore, township Supervisor, acknowledged that while this was a notable lapse of service, they are optimistic about the future. “We have a good relationship with the management of Priority Waste,” he said. So here’s hoping the waste management woes in the West Bloomfield community will soon be a thing of the past.
If you’d like to learn more, you can visit prioritywaste.com or call (586) 228-1200. Locals can also contact the township directly by calling (248) 451-4845.
