Garbage pick-up will resume after days of cancellations

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) Trash will finally be picked up for some people in Milwaukee Friday. The snow and bitter cold this week put garbage pick-up on hold. Milwaukee is one of many cities dealing with no-pick up or delayed pick up this week.

Some alleys in Bay View have garbage cans overflowing with trash.

“Trash, lots and lots of trash,” Bay View Resident Vince Bontempo said. “I'd like to see them come by and pick this up because it looks, well, trashy.”

Sanitation workers missed four days of garbage pick-up because they were plowing earlier this week and then were off because of dangerously cold temperatures.

“Unfortunately animals start plowing through it and It's piling up pretty quick,” Bay View Resident Tim Pauly said. “Not a huge fan, but it's freezing and we get it .”

The sanitation department didn’t want employees out in the bitter cold Wednesday because some Milwaukee DPW employees got hurt.

“Even before Wednesday and Thursday, we've been sustaining frostbite injuries out on these routes. It's just dangerously cold,” Sanitation Services Manager Rick Meyers said. “We trust people understand we're here to serve and we're doing our best.”

Milwaukee is not alone. Cudahy, Oak Creek, Greendale, and other cities have had either no garbage pick-up for delayed pick-up this week because of the bitter cold. Milwaukee sanitation workers will be back picking up garbage Friday and Saturday and will work extra hours next week. They hope to catch up with garbage pick-ups by Wednesday night, but recycling may take a couple weeks.

Homeowners can pitch in too in order to make the process go faster.

“Clear their carts of snow and ice, clear the path to them so we have access and we'll catch up,” Meyers said.

To find your pick-up schedule in Milwaukee click here. For information on specific garbage pick-up in other cities, check on your city’s Department of Public Works website.