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Whitman County recycling box pickups halted after roll-off truck "blew an engine"
Summary
Collections of the small blue recycle boxes across seven rural towns paused after the county's roll-off truck suffered an engine failure. Staff searched for rentals; Pullman Disposal and Republic Services are exploring interim assistance but flagged safety and compatibility issues.
Whitman County temporarily suspended pickups of the small blue recycling boxes that serve seven rural towns after the county's roll-off truck "blew an engine," halting regular service.
County staff reported an exhaustive search for a replacement or rental vehicle; a potential rental through Big Truck Rentals is not available until November or December. Pullman Disposal tested one of its trucks on a county container, but staff raised safety and time concerns about securing the container with chains because the hook-line layout is not an exact match. Republic Services said it was checking its Seattle fleet to determine whether an additional roll-off truck could assist in the short term.
The committee discussed the operational trade-offs of chaining a mismatched vehicle (speed versus risk) and the practical implications for rural pickup schedules. No formal vote or contract change was taken at the meeting; the committee expects staff to return with logistics options and timelines.
