County Council Approves Waste Hauler Contract Extension

In hopes of receiving better rates on residential trash services, the St. Louis County Council has approved a measure extending the length of contracts with its waste haulers from three to five years.

The decision affects unincorporated areas of the county, including Affton, Mehlville and Oakville, as well as portions of Eureka, Fenton, Manchester and Town and Country.

The council voted 4-to-2 in favor of the extension at its meeting this week. Council members Steve Stenger, Sixth District, and Greg Quinn, Seventh District, cast the opposing votes.  Councilwoman Colleen Wasinger, Third District, was absent from the meeting.

“The most important function of the council is oversight, and the extension will give us less review of what is going on,” Stenger said in an interview. “Plus, it will make it more difficult for smaller companies to compete, and we don’t want to see this move any further toward a monopoly.”

In 2008, the county established eight trash districts as part its waste management code. The creation of the districts enabled the county to negotiate contracts with haulers and provided for unified waste collection, recycling and bulky trash pickup services for residents

Prior to that, residents in unincorporated portions of the county could choose their own haulers, which resulted in several different trash trucks driving through the same neighborhoods at various times.

Controversy followed the change and sparked several lawsuits from residents who were opposed to the county choosing their hauler and from hauling companies that bid on, but did not receive contracts from the county.

Allied Waste and IESI provide collection services for about 80,000 households in unincorporated St. Louis County. The current hauling contracts will end Sept. 30.