Pittsburgh Budget Crunches Collections

Lynn Schenkman

Pittsburgh -- The city will stop garbage collection for approximately 700 non-residential customers, forcing them to find private haulers by mid-October. News sources are reporting budget cutbacks have led to several public works adjustments, which include elimination of rodent-control and graffiti-removal services and the closing of the city’s asphalt plant. The city will finish collecting trash from Pittsburgh Public Schools for the remainder of 2003, but schools will begin taking bids next month from private haulers. Other customers subject to eliminated garbage pickups include the housing authority, parochial schools and large apartment buildings. Bulk collections and street-sweeping services also will be reduced.