The Teamster’s overwhelmingly rejected Sunday a contract offer by the Chicago Area Refuse Hauler’s Association — which could mean rising health risks and overflowing waste receptacles for Evanston businesses and Norhtwestern. It also left the community speculating about just what should be done to stem the stinking tide.
Less than a week into the garbage hauler’s strike, Evanston and NU already are feeling the effects of the standoff. Negotiations between the Chicago Area Refuse Haulers Association and Teamsters Locals 731 and 301 fell through late Tuesday, leaving most of the Chicago area without garbage and recycling pickup.
Evanston city government handles garbage hauling for residents, so trash pickup only is an issue for businesses. Residents have been without recycling pickup since Wednesday, and businesses must cope with accumulating piles of trash.
“I think they should start working again, because the street is going to be dirty and everything will be messed up,” said Ligia Morales, an assistant manager at Taco Bell Express, 1743 Sherman Ave. “We don’t have any place to put it.”
Like businesses in Evanston, NU uses a private garbage pickup service — one of the companies that employs the striking workers. The university will be responsible for hauling waste off campus until the strike is settled.
“If it goes on for a while, I don’t know how the university — with our one or two trucks — is going to keep up with the problem,” said Alan Cubbage, the vice president for university relations.
He said administrators began preparing for the strike a week ago. The university now advocate reducing personal waste, but Cubbage said this can only do so much.
“We try to tell people to be cautious about throwing out trash,” Cubbage said, “but the big thing is food waste with the residence halls.”
Kimberly Gray, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, offered one temporary way to alleviate potential health risks — collecting garbage in more durable bags.
Peter Anand, an assistant manager at Burger King, 1740 Orrington Ave., said if the strike goes on for too long, the excess garbage could pose a health risk.
“It’s not a health issue yet,” he said, “but I would say it couldn’t go on for another two or three days.”
Some Evanston restaurant managers are also trying to find strategies to fight garbage overflow. Robert Fierl, a manager at Flat Top Grill, 707 Church St., said he and his employees are working to conserve Dumpster space.
“We’re just trying to condense as much as we can,” he said. “That’s all we really can do.”
Other local restaurant managers said they feel helpless.
At Taco Bell Express, 1734 Sherman Ave., Morales said customers jokingly suggested that employees cart the garbage home themselves.
Matt McCormick, co-chairman for Students for Ecological and Environmental Development, also put a positive spin on the issue.
“It’s obviously a terrible problem for the city,” said McCormick, a Weinberg senior. “But it’s a pretty good opportunity to reflect on how much trash we (produce) on a daily basis.”
Student members of NU’s Women’s Coalition are already aware of the volume of garbage students produce. In a fund-raising effort, the group helped clean up Ryan Field after Saturday’s football game.
Take Back the Night co-chairwoman and Women’s Coalition member Lindsay Shadrick said trash overflow is not yet a problem at the stadium and that cleanup organizers did not mention the strike.
“It wasn’t specifically mentioned to us by anyone running it,” said Shadrick, a Weinberg sophomore. “But people were joking about it.”
