Rumpke's trash collection service improves in North Royalton

Rumpke Consolidated Cos., the trash collector for North Royalton, Ohio, has shown improvement in service after city officials raised concerns in February. Residents reported issues with missed pickups and damaged recycling bins, leading to complaints against the company. City Council President Paul Marnecheck remains cautious about Rumpke's improvement. He emphasized the need for ongoing better service rather than assuming this is a permanent fix. Councilman John Nickell noted that Rumpke has been in regular discussions with Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz to address service problems. Last fall, complaints began to pile up as drivers missed homes and streets during their pickups. At a February council meeting, residents highlighted that even after reporting problems directly to Rumpke, their issues often went unresolved. In January, the number of missed pickups increased by 13%. Resident Elaine Nawal reported that her trash was missed multiple times and was not collected until days later. Concerns about the mechanical arms on recycling trucks crushing lighter cans were also raised, leading to more complaints. Mayor Antoskiewicz warned Rumpke that it needed to improve its service to avoid breaching its contract with the city. He stated that if the city decides to terminate Rumpke's contract, they would likely face higher bids from other companies. Rumpke recently underwent management changes, which may have contributed to past service issues. The city signed a new five-year contract worth $12.4 million with Rumpke in April 2024, up from $7.7 million in the previous contract from 2017. The former contract introduced automated recycling services. North Royalton is exploring automated trash collection due to Rumpke being the only bidder for the service.