Lexington County Council Rejects Garbage Collection Proposal Amid Community Opposition

Lexington County Nixes Garbage Collection Plan After Community Backlash

This week, Lexington County made a significant decision regarding its trash collection services, and it’s one that has residents buzzing. In a meeting on Tuesday, the county council voted to toss out a proposal that would have introduced a countywide garbage collection service. This would have marked the first time ever that such a system would be established in Lexington County!

The Proposal: What Was on the Table?

The proposal was designed to create a standard trash collection service, requiring all households in the unincorporated areas of the county to pay an annual fee for pickup. Current estimates from when this idea was last floated in 2021 suggested that each household would have to cough up about $258 a year for the new service. Just to put that in perspective, neighboring Richland County already offers a similar service at a price tag of $368, which includes recycling and the removal of yard debris.

Currently, residents in unincorporated parts of Lexington County can choose to subscribe to private trash collection services, resulting in a patchwork of options. While this may sound convenient, many residents have expressed frustrations over the inconsistency of service. Some neighborhoods have reported unreliable pickups depending on the number of subscribers signed up for service.

A Spark of Discontent

The meeting before the council saw a clear show of opposition from members of the public. Many residents voiced their concerns about the new mandatory service, with one resident, Louan Caron, representing those who live in rural areas. She shared her worries about the challenges of dragging trash bins down long driveways, saying, “You don’t want to drag it down there. Plus, there’s animals, so it’s going to get knocked over and destroyed.”

Another community member, Joyce Mize, made her feelings clear when she stated, “I want to have a choice in how I want to spend my money.” Mize emphasized that she already takes her trash to the dump herself and has no desire for “extra bills.” It seems that for her and others like her, self-service is just fine!

County Officials Weigh In

Despite the public’s outcry, Lee McIntyre, Solid Waste Director, explained that the current trash collection system is “not sustainable.” He highlighted that with only a few residents on a street participating in pickups, drivers may unintentionally miss homes, which can lead to frustration. McIntyre believes a uniform service could ultimately make collection easier and more efficient.

Some council members were keen on carving out rural spaces from this proposal. As Councilman Scott Whetstone mentioned, “We need to do this in planning developments of 10 homes or more, but not the entire county.” However, that idea was met with legal hurdles as council chair Beth Carrigg noted that state law does not currently allow for selective service areas. Instead, any adopted trash service would have to be applicable to the entire county.

Aftermath and Looking Ahead

Ultimately, the proposal was deemed too contentious, and the council voted against it. The decision continues a longstanding practice where many county residents prefer to take their trash to any of the 11 collection sites that Lexington County maintains. Usage at these sites has surged as new folks have moved into the area, but the discussion on how best to manage waste is far from over.

With half of county residents not subscribing to any collection service, the council will need to carefully consider the needs and opinions of its community moving forward. As many residents have shown, they love their freedom to choose how to manage their waste, and any new proposals will have to account for those voices—after all, nobody wants to feel like their trash has been thrown out alongside a poorly thought-out plan!