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Republic Services reports improved pickup consistency, explains landfill gas‑to‑energy process to council
Summary
Republic Services told the Georgetown City Council that it serviced 231,568 carts in the second quarter, identified 117 missed pickups in that period and is addressing bulk‑item and loose‑trash complaints through driver training and operational changes.
Republic Services briefed the Georgetown City Council on July 28 about collection performance from April through June and described how landfill gas captured at Benson Valley is converted to compressed natural gas (CNG).
Tim Ward, Republic Services area representative, told the council the company serviced 231,568 carts in the April–June quarter for the city and logged about 3,850 total calls to the call center. Ward said 3,480 calls were service‑related concerns and that the company identified 117 likely missed collections in the quarter; he said Republic Services is working to lower that number through route consistency and driver training.
Ward also said calls about bulk items are increasing and that improved advance notice for bulky pickups has helped crews plan routes and reduce missed stops. He said customer service messaging about the city’s bulk‑item allowance (three bulk items per week) is being clarified after some callers reported they had been told a charge would apply.
On loose or spilled trash, Ward said Republic Services has improved driver training, adjusted equipment harnessing, and increased proactive stops when crews observe debris; vehicle cameras are also used to audit and train drivers on pickups tied to complaints.
Ward then explained the Benson Valley landfill gas‑to‑energy operation: as landfill material decomposes it produces gas; that gas is captured through wells at Benson Valley and processed on‑site by a third‑party operator (Amarisco in Republic Services’ presentation) to remove moisture, sulfur and CO2, and to compress the gas into pipeline‑quality natural gas. Ward said the plant has a nameplate capacity of 483,000 dekatherms and noted annual reductions equivalent to about 27,400 tons of carbon dioxide — the company framed that as a local reuse of landfill gas rather than flaring.
Council members raised neighborhood‑level complaints (trash dumped on the street in one subdivision), questioned call‑center messaging on fees, and asked about hydraulic and tarping fixes to reduce wind‑blown litter. Ward said the company will research specific complaints (he noted truck cameras are used to review incidents), continue driver training and examine call logs for messaging patterns.
Why it matters: Waste collection quality affects daily life and public health; the landfill‑gas explanation highlights one local recycling‑to‑energy pathway that the city’s waste stream supports.
Follow‑up: Republic Services will provide more detailed call and complaint records on request and will follow up with council members about specific incidents (addresses were cited during the meeting).
