It's a stinky problem that's getting worse by the day. Homeowners across the metro tell 41 Action News they are paying Deffenbaugh Industries and the company isn't picking up garbage.
"It's unsightly, there's a health issue, and it's an inconvenience," said Kim Kanzelberger, a homeowner in Merriam, Kansas. "We also just don't know when this will get resolved because we don't get any definite date or response."
Homeowners in Merriam, Kansas, say their trash hasn't been picked up since July 5.
"It's still not been picked up," said Kate Richter of Overland Park, Kansas. "I don't know what to do. It looks really bad and I've got extra trash over there too. I just want them to tell me the truth with what's going on."
They said the last time they saw a Deffenbaugh Industries garbage truck roll by was on July 5. Since then, their trash has been piling up.
"Particularly with this heat now it becomes more of a health issue than just an inconvenience," said Kanzelberger. "The garbage sitting out in this kind of heat can deteriorate rapidly and draw lots of critters."
41 Action News reached out to Deffenbaugh Industries. Here's what they wrote us via an emailed statement:
"We accept full responsibility for the missed service collection to the residents. We have collection vehicles in this area today recovering the missed service locations. Last week, we made several changes to our residential collection routes in several communities in Johnson County. Although the changes were communicated to our customers, some confusion may have resulted. In addition, we are experiencing a driver shortage and continue to seek qualified drivers. We are addressing the collection issues with our customers individually and we apologize for any inconvenience."
"If they're not going to come get it, they need to tell me because I don't know what else to do," said Richter. "They just need to be honest with us about what's going on. Especially with how much they charge us."
If the problem is not fixed soon, these residents said the next thing they'll be taking to the curb is the trash company.
"Pick up the trash. That's all. It's just simple. Pick up the trash," said Kanzelberger.
Terra Hall can be reached at terra.hall@kshb.com.
