Clerical Error Causes Recycling Woes for Evans, Colo.

Due to a clerical error made 10 years ago, Evans, Colo., residents had not been billed for their recycling services since 2007. Last month, some residents were billed unexpectedly for the recycling service and others stopped receiving services altogether.

According to city officials, the error occurred when the city renewed its contract with Waste Management in 2007. But when the company conducted audits this year, it noticed Evans recycling accounts had not been billed for a decade.

During a recent City Council session, a Waste Management representative apologized to council members and said the company did not intend to stop service without warning customers first.

The city's original contract with Waste Management began in 2002 and allotted one 96-gallon trash tote with a recycling bin per household. When the contract was renewed in 2007, recycling services were removed.

The Greeley Tribune has more:

Evans city officials said they have received a steady stream of complaints after a clerical error caused some residents to be billed unexpectedly for recycling service and others to stop receiving it completely in July.

The mishap, staff members learned, was caused by a decade-old error created when the city renewed its contract with Waste Management in 2007. When the company conducted audits this year, it discovered Evans recycling accounts had not been billed for a decade.

During an Evans City Council work session Monday, Waste Management representative Tony Howard apologized to council members for the error, saying the company did not intend to stop service without telling customers first.

Read the full article here.