Garner Officials Want To 'Sort Out' Recycling Program

The confusion surfaced after an admission made by several employees of the company contracted to handle the city's garbage. They say all of the trash is going to the same place.

John Bland makes sure his green bin is full for pickup every other week. He wants to know if Waste Management would have mixed his recyclable materials in with trash. The company admits it happened nearly a year ago.

"We're paying them to haul it off, they're making money off of it, and we're not," Bland said.

In a statement, the company said the issue was identified over a year ago, it was addressed, and it has not been repeated since then.

Garner Town Alderman Gra Singleton said Waste Management officials never told town officials about any problems or any solutions. He says the town is considering legal action if the company does not come clean.

"If we're paying for a service, I expect us to receive that service, and that's disappointing, that they haven't made contact with us to clarify that," Singleton said. "I hope Waste Management will step up and say, 'Look, we made a mistake, and we haven't come forward to explain it. It's out in the open now, so let's go ahead and discuss it.'"

Waste Management also handles recycling for Wake Forest and Morrisville. The company says it separates all materials now at a Winston-Salem facility.