Port St. Lucie - Friday May 27, 2022: A circuit judge has ordered Waste Pro to fulfill its contractual obligations to collect garbage in the City, saying the company cannot remove equipment or quit collecting waste until Port St. Lucie’s new waste hauler begins service in September.
The order follows a petition filed with the court by attorneys for the City at the request of the Mayor and the City Council who accuse Waste Pro of continued failure to fulfill its obligations under the Solid Waste Franchise Agreement. The petition sought "relief for the residents and business owners from the proliferation of uncollected garbage," according to a Friday news release from the City.
The hearing took place Thursday May 26 before Circuit Judge Laurie Buchanan. She heard testimony from the City Manager and the City’s Solid Waste Manager, as well as an expert witness retained by the City who is a specialist in industrial hygiene and environmental health matters.
The Judge then issued an order prohibiting Waste Pro from removing any trucks or equipment, including dumpsters, from the City until September 15, 2022, without the express consent of the City. Judge Buchanan further ordered Waste Pro to fulfill its obligations to collect garbage as required under the contract.
If Waste Pro fails to collect garbage as required, the City has the option of seeking a finding of contempt against Waste Pro for disobeying the Judge’s order.
The City had already temporarily paused recycling collections in order to allow Waste Pro to catch up with over-due trash collection services, a decision that Judge Buchanan credited the City for taking.
“For more than a year, City leaders have worked on multiple fronts to help provide relief for residents regarding Waste Pro’s poor service,” City Attorney Jim Stokes said. “Our litigation against Waste Pro has been one of these efforts, and with the Court recognizing that Waste Pro’s failures have become severe, we now have a court ruling that will compel Waste Pro to substantially comply with the contract they signed.”
Regular updates about Waste Pro’s progress in collecting trash in the City can now be found at the top of the City’s website at www.cityofpsl.com.
Beginning in September, FCC Environmental Services Florida, LLC will be Port St. Lucie’s new solid waste collection hauler. The new solid waste collection schedule will be announced to residents by mid-August 2022.
For updated information and a detailed list of frequently asked questions about the solid waste program, visit: www.cityofpsl.com/solidwaste.
To submit a request to 1PSL about waste collection, call 772-871-1775, visit the 1PSL web website or download the 1PSL app.