Residents say recycLA program is smelly and costly
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The city of Los Angeles has changed the way trash is picked up as part of its project recycLA, but some residents said the service and cost stinks.
Janet Garstang said there have been problems with the service, such as missed pickups and skyrocketing prices.
"For our building, it is just under an 80 percent price increase, which is astronomical," she said.
The city awarded exclusive contracts to several companies. Each one handles designated areas of Los Angeles. Athens Services handles pickups in West L.A. In the San Fernando Valley, it's Waste Management.
Chris Schanafelt owns Forever Healthy smoothie shop in Chatsworth. He said his prices are getting high.
"I think it's almost doubled, like $200 a month for a stupid little can," he said.
Athens Services said it added 13,000 new customers in just a few months. It also issued the following statement:
Mayor Eric Garcetti also said he is aware of the issues with the new green service.
"This guarantees long term that there will be set increases that will be reasonable. We can control those where in past years it might have been cheap one year and it will go up dramatically the next year. So that's one thing that we are committed to making sure stays steady," he said.
