MINNEAPOLIS — The snow is still having a big impact across the Twin Cities.
Monday is typically garbage pick-up day in several cities, including Minneapolis, but the snow is making that task trickier than usual.
"We’re seeing significant challenges,” Minneapolis Solid Waste and Recycling Director David Herberholz says.
In the city of Minneapolis, narrow streets and sidewalks are everywhere.
"They're older alleys that are very narrow, and over the years, I think they've gotten even narrower.”
Herberholz says it's a challenge for his garbage crews on a normal day, let alone days where many of the alleys are covered in snow.
Last week, crews saw several garbage bins that were so stuck in the snow they couldn't collect the garbage.
This week, they're seeing it again, so they're asking residents to help them out.
"We really rely on residents' responsibility to shovel a path for the cart,” Herberholz says.
Per Minneapolis city ordinance, residents have to shovel out a 3-foot-wide path.
Residents who don't shovel could have their garbage bin skipped over, and get a warning notice.
If crews come back the next week and the bin still isn't dug out, residents could have to pay a $30 fee.
And it's not just cities.
Private garbage companies also appear to be having some problems this week.
KARE 11 called a handful of garbage removal companies in the Twin Cities and all of those calls were met with the same message.
“You are caller number 40 in line,” one answering machine message said.
In some cases, the wait time was nearly an hour.
Herberholz says some communities and companies may be having a more difficult time than others.
In Minneapolis, workers move the garbage bins by hand because they can’t use those large mechanical arms within the city’s narrow streets and alleys.
Herberholz says communities and companies that use trucks with mechanical arms may be experiencing even bigger problems because those arms can't get into tight spaces.
"To be able to maneuver a truck in alleys that have a lot of snow in it they may not be able to get close enough."
If you have questions about your garbage collection, most cities and companies are posting updates on their websites and social media pages.
You can also call them on the phone, but you might have to wait awhile.
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