Seniors upset with lack of garbage pickup in some areas

Winnipeg's new garbage collection system is creating headaches for some seniors and physically disabled residents whose trash has not been picked up recently.

Those who are not physically capable of rolling their garbage carts to the curb or back alley can sign up to have workers walk up to their homes and empty the carts for them.

But that has not been happening in some parts of Winnipeg, frustrating residents like 90-year-old Nelda Burdy, whose garbage has not been picked up from her West Kildonan home in weeks.

"Oh, it's been bad. Like, this is close to three weeks already," Burdy told CBC News on Wednesday.

"It's just terrible. They're just not picking it up."

Burdy said the problem has become worse since the city launched its new garbage collection system in recent months, which uses rolling garbage and recycling carts.

Councillor's office flooded with calls

Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie says his office has been flooded with calls, most notably from seniors and physically disabled residents, complaining of a lack of garbage pickup.

Eadie said he has noticed more complaints have been coming in since Emterra, a private company, was contracted to pick up the new carts.

Officials with Emterra did not return calls from CBC News seeking comment on Wednesday.

City officials say with a new contract in place for services, there are bound to be hiccups and delays.

At the same time, officials said they have received fewer garbage-related complaints this past week, and they hope all the problems will be fixed by October, when thenew waste collection system is rolled out across the entire city.