NewsContact Denver7

Actions

Contact7 gets results after Nederland goes weeks without trash pickup

Posted at 3:15 PM, Feb 19, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-19 20:54:32-05

Editor's note: Contact7 seeks out audience tips and feedback to help people in need, resolve problems and hold the powerful accountable. If you know of a community need our call center could address, or have a story idea for our investigative team to pursue, please email us at contact7@thedenverchannel.com or call (720) 462-7777. Find more Contact7 stories here.

NEDERLAND, Colo. — After weeks of no trash removal and overflowing dumpsters in Nederland, the company responsible sent trucks in for a cross-town pickup as a result of pressure from Contact7.

“The entire town was overflowing or full,” longtime resident Dave Weaver said.

Weaver sent Contact7 photos of overflowing dumpsters, saying Republic Services had gone since Jan. 25 without picking up their contracted trash. Republic is one of three major providers in Nederland. Weaver says he called seven to eight times and was transferred from Arizona to North Carolina and back.

“At first it was a safety issue and it was snow. But at that point, right now you can’t tell, but the roads were bone dry,” Weaver claimed, adding that the other trash companies were still making their scheduled pickups.

The concern in town was not only the unsanitary conditions from overflowing trash, but the possibility of it drawing wildlife into town.

Weaver called Contact7 and Denver7’s Jason Gruenauer emailed and called Republic Services. They responded in an email saying they had “unfortunately experienced service delays in Nederland because of snow and equipment issues. However, crews are servicing the area today.”

Within three hours of that email, Weaver said a Republic truck showed up in town.

“Oh, Contact7 absolutely got results. There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “I mean something happened.”

When Denver7 was in Nederland on Tuesday, it was snowing and Republic trucks were still making dumpster pickups.