Yard waste service suspended in seven metro cities due to staffing issues

Days after a big storm knocked down branches and many homeowners fired up their lawn mowers for the first time since No Mow May, residents in at least seven metro cities — including St. Paul — have learned their garbage hauler has stopped taking yard waste.

Waste Management confirmed Thursday that it had halted yard waste service in Robbinsdale and Stillwater, due to staffing issues. Later in the day, it added Columbia Heights, Little Canada, St. Anthony, St. Paul and Vadnais Heights to that list, and said more cities could see suspended service.

"Resumption of service is indeterminate at this time and [Waste Management] will be reimbursing residents for this service," company spokeswoman Julie Ketchum said in a written statement.

High demand for drivers with commercial driver's licenses (CDL) — linked to "the rapid expansion of home delivery services, an aging driver population, and a deficit of new CDL drivers" — is behind the staffing shortage, according to Ketchum.

On Friday, Robbinsdale officials said that the city will provide roll-off dumpsters next week as a temporary measure for yard waste disposal. Yard waste can be dropped off at the city's Public Works facility, 4601 Toledo Av. N., from noon to 7 p.m. Monday, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday, on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents will need to show a photo ID or a recent bill with a Robbinsdale address.

Stillwater officials were told that yard waste may not be collected for up to three weeks and that residents will see a credit on their bill for yard waste.

"The impacts we are experiencing in the St. Paul-Minneapolis metro area are greater than we ever anticipated but are only impacting our ability to provide seasonal service for yard waste in some cities in the north metro," Ketchum said.

She added that county yard waste drop-off sites are available throughout the metro area and that the staffing issues were affecting only cities "in the north metro."

Some alternatives for disposing bags of grass clippings and storm debris were provided to residents. Stillwater residents can drop off yard waste free of charge at Washington County's Northern Yard Waste site, 5527 170th St. N., Hugo.

Robbinsdale officials, however, told residents they will have to cover or store yard waste until services resume.

"With the storm last week, I have extra yard waste. I also would like to know what kind of credit we will be getting for this," Christine Groetken wrote on Robbinsdale's Facebook page about the suspended services. The website was filled with dozens of angry comments and questions.

Several Robbinsdale residents suggested the city should negotiate to use Maple Grove's drop-off site in the interim. The private site is free to residents of Maple Grove and seven surrounding communities. Fees to use the site start at $5.

Robbinsdale resident Greg Moss said that while Waste Management staffing issues are beyond public control, the city is responsible for messaging and transparency.

"This is not a good enough explanation to the taxpayers," he wrote.

Robbinsdale officials found out at 4 p.m. Wednesday that Waste Management was suspending yard waste services. Mayor Bill Blonigan said the city was "exploring all alternatives," including hiring another company to handle yard waste, launching its own disposal site or using the Maple Grove site.

Vadnais Heights officials told residents that yard waste pickup "is on hold" until at least later this month, and that they would be credited for missed service." Little Canada and Vadnais Heights shared a link to Ramsey County's seven yard waste collection sites.

Waste Management, which contracts with cities across the metro area, experienced staffing issues in January when it encouraged ill employees to stay home because of a wave of COVID-19 omicron infections.

To build its workforce, Ketchum said that Waste Management is offering signing bonuses, increasing wages, hosting targeted hiring events, using technology and embracing inclusion and diversity.

Robbinsdale Council Member Pat Backen said he had talked with the company in March about poor service in the last couple of years. "We're your customers," he said. "This is not going well."