LEXINGTON, S.C. — Lexington County could soon expand curbside trash pickup to the entire county.
According to officials, this results from complaints from outlying and rural Lexington County residents.
County council heard reports of trash not getting picked up on time and residents having to wait weeks for pickup. Others complained about having to pay the city for curbside pickup.
Solid waste director Lee McIntyre says this new program could ease concerns for both residents and workers.
“Having curbside for the county would help us out at our collection centers because our collection centers are OK now, but based on the growth, soon we are going to be at capacity," McIntyre said.
"We have one collection center we’re starting construction on right now, the funding for that was allocated nine years ago and we have been searching since then to find a suitable location,” McIntyre added.
McIntyre said he believes that adding this program would help residents who currently have to take their own trash to local drop-off locations.
“The population of the county is growing, and the collection centers not being able to grow with it, that is a big challenge for space and also for manpower.”
One Lexington resident, Marissa Newson, says she was unaware that people were facing these issues and believes everyone should have that service in their own neighborhood.
“They should do that, I mean, I didn’t know that was a privilege," Newson said. "I thought that was a universal thing, they pick these people trash. You have the availability to do so, so just do it.”
If approved, the program could take up to two years of planning before trucks arrive in Lexington County neighborhoods.
The next step is for the council to approve a second reading for this initiative, and then they will include public input before moving forward.