Omaha Forums

I would like to know how exactly garbage pickup in Omaha works.  I am a new resident to Omaha, living between Maple and Fort and 144th and 156th (Westen Hills).  I clearly live in the Omaha area, pay Omaha taxes, but I am not covered under the current contract between Omaha and Deffenbaugh.  Every time I try to get information from Deffenbaugh and/or anyone in Omaha, they all tell me that I am basically SOL when it comes to garbage pickup because the contract between the two parties does not include my area.  I would like to know how the contract is decided upon, when negations are usually done, if the public has any say in this matter, and how the parties decide upon what parts of Omaha get the privilege of payed for garbage removal and which parts are left to pick up their own trash service.  Any light that can be shed on this subject for me would be greatly appreciated.

According to the city's website, Westin Hills has not been annexed yet.  Only Tory Pines, Westpoint, and the Home Depot in that square mile have been annexed.

Thank you for the quick response, but as far as I was aware, I am in the city limits of Omaha, therefore the area that I live in shouldn't need to be annexed.  From what I understand from the definition of the word annex, it is to add to or improve upon.  To "add" us to Omaha is to say that I do not live within the city's limits.  To annex us is to say that we are not a part of Omaha, yet I still pay Omaha taxes.  Where do I do I live then?

What do your neighbors do?

I agree with Big E, what do you neighbors do?

According to the map, you live in Douglas County:

Some go through papillion, some abes, and some dump at other places.  Right now we are lucky enough to work at places that understand how asinine of a contact this is between omaha and deffenbaugh and allow us to dump at work and/or we give our trash to our parents to burn out in the country at their home.

I have a friend who lives in Westing hills.  He has always told me he lives outside Omaha.  

I live close to 78 and sorensen parkway and outside city limits by a 1/4 mile. Our SID is covering our costs

People in my neighborhood use one of many.  Its garbage day everyday.

Abe's
Waste Management
Weekly Pickup
Papillion Sanitation
Dale's

mrjrclark wrote:Some go through papillion, some abes, and some dump at other places.  Right now we are lucky enough to work at places that understand how asinine of a contact this is between omaha and deffenbaugh and allow us to dump at work and/or we give our trash to our parents to burn out in the country at their home.

Deffenbaugh only provides service to city residents. if you haven't been annexed, you aren't in the city limits, and aren't a resident of the city.

Councilman Proposes New Trash Regulation
Property Owners Would Be Fined If Trash Is Stored Along Street

KETV wrote:Jerram said there are no rules regarding where property owners can store trash in front of their homes. His amendment to existing ordinances would keep property owners from storing trash in front of their property and would mandate that trash receptacles be kept at least 20 feet away from the sidewalk. If the rules are broken, property owners would pay a $100 fine for the first offense and $500 for each offense after that.

from article -  "To me it's a no-brainer," she said. "You won't find this problem out west."      


Read more: http://www.ketv.com/news/30176165/detai ... z1jFDTWRB5

So, does this mean that homeowners will be prohibited from placing trashcans on the curb for weekly pickup?

jessep28 wrote:So, does this mean that homeowners will be prohibited from placing trashcans on the curb for weekly pickup?

Don't think so based on this part of the story

Councilman Chris Jerram is proposing changes in the city ordinance that pertains to how long trash can stay in front of homes on collection day, where trash is stored the rest of the week and how much it will cost homeowners if they don't follow the regulations

Read more: http://www.ketv.com/news/30176165/detai ... z1jHZuNsqS

Wow, this is pretty ridiculous.  I don't know which is more ridiculous, though, people leaving trash on their sidewalk for days at a time, or the city trying to remind people not to do it.  Can't existing city ordinances regarding keeping sidewalks clear and yards free of trash be used if this is a problem?

I will admit, though, that this is the 2nd year one of our neighbors has put his leaf bags out after they stopped picking up yard waste.  I imagine they'll be there again all winter, rotting in a pile against his picket fence until April comes around and some poor garbage man tries to pick up a row of paper bags with no bottoms left in them.

mrjrclark wrote:Thank you for the quick response, but as far as I was aware, I am in the city limits of Omaha, therefore the area that I live in shouldn't need to be annexed.  From what I understand from the definition of the word annex, it is to add to or improve upon.  To "add" us to Omaha is to say that I do not live within the city's limits.  To annex us is to say that we are not a part of Omaha, yet I still pay Omaha taxes.  Where do I do I live then?

I've got a good friend who lives very near you.  You're in an SID, which technically is not part of Omaha - but probably will be.

He has talked about his garbage pickup, and I don't believe that Deffenbaugh gets it.  I'm not sure who does, but it is taken care of.

What does "SIDs" stand for?

Sanitary Improvement District.

Two Things.

1. Deffenbaugh is bring acquired by Waste Management
2. Apparently there is a press conference on Thursday to announce new trash days/routes for most for the city.

Eventually, this website http://newday.wasteline.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; will let you find out your trash day, but its not up yet.

All this info per my neighborhood email/message board.

With all the annexations and stuff, Deffenbaugh wanted to shift trash days to make the routes more efficient. It's government, but I'm surprised that it still took them this long.

They shifted my subdivision from Monday to Thursday a little over a year ago. We had Monday pickup since I bought in 2003

I have Waste Management in my SID. Was once Elkhorn Sanitation which was changed to Apple Trash, then bought out by WM.

Most people have Abes. WM seems to to better. They put your recycle bin down where they found it, rather than toss it anywhere in your yard.

Trash Pickup beginning 1/5/15:



Present Pickup:

Do these changes have anything to do with the Waste Management acquisition or just the need for updated routes?

Overall they seem to make more sense to me. The old pickup had different days scattered all throughout the area.

skinzfan23 wrote:Overall they seem to make more sense to me.  The old pickup had different days scattered all throughout the area.

The old one seems like "Here is our 1990's plan" and then every time they an annexed an SID, they just randomly threw it on a day...

Thanks for posting this guys; I hadn't heard about it.

My address is still on Tuesday in the new plan, though.

On another note, I'm really glad they started doing yard waste pickup year round. When it was seasonal, it always seemed like they stopped collecting before the leaves had all fallen. It was so annoying keeping bags of rotting leaves in the backyard waiting for spring.

I wonder how trash pick up goes today :

Stothert Administration wrote:Deffenbaugh Update: As expected, trash and recyclable collections are being affected by the weather. If your trash is not collected, please call the Solid Waste Hotline, 402-444-5238 after 7:00 p.m. and report your address.

But after 7:00 pm?

Well damn... took advantage of the nice weather to do some yard work but it looks like yard waste pickup doesn't begin until April.

NO, they changed it a couple years ago so that they pick up yard waste all year long.

They co-mingle yard waste with garbage when there isn't a dedicated yard waste route during the late fall and winter. If I remember right, that was part of the deal to get the city to amend the trash contract and start paying a fuel surcharge.

omaproud wrote:NO, they changed it a couple years ago so that they pick up yard waste all year long.

Well I put it all out in the driveway no matter what. I was just going off the info on their website.

1. Omaha's recycling contractor owes the city $164,000.
2. The contract is up for renewal. The city plans to approve the renewal, assuming that they get paid.
3. The new contract terms would have the city paying for Firstar to take its recyclables due to depressed market demand for recycled materials, but it would still be more economical than paying tipping fees at the landfill or transfer station.

OWH Article: http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/omaha-s ... 7abd7.html

Omaha Recycling Effort has pathetic results.

http://dataomaha.com/bigstory/news/why- ... s?mode=jqm

Last week one truck pulled up to my house... they took all three cans... Recycling, Yard Waste, and Trash... Sad.

Brad wrote:Last week one truck pulled up to my house... they took all three cans... Recycling, Yard Waste, and Trash... Sad.

I thought what I heard on the news was they were going to pickup together the garbage and yard waste but it didn't say anything about including the recycling. Maybe something to drop a note to the mayors hotline since Deffenbaugh is on the hot seat already.

I'm looking to switch trash companies and was just wondering who everyone recommends?
Thanks!

Evert9 wrote:I'm looking to switch trash companies and was just wondering who everyone recommends?
Thanks!

Where do you live?

I love in the 108th & Harrison Street area - my neighborhood has every different trash hauler coming in - but I was just looking for some feedback for who I should choose.

Evert9 wrote:I love in the 108th & Harrison Street area - my neighborhood has every different trash hauler coming in - but I was just looking for some feedback for who I should choose.

I was in Gretna for 15 years and used Papillion Sanitation for much of that time. I was happy with them.

All the private trash haulers are going to be about the same price and service wise. I've dealt with Papillion Sanitation, Abe's and Premier over the years and never had an issue with any of them. My advice would be to call around and find the better deal.

If recycling glass is important to you, Papillion Sanitation is the only company who will take it. That's because they truck co-mingled recycle to South Dakota to be processed, versus Firstar here in Omaha.