The Coronavirus has forced people to stay home, and temporarily closed many businesses in the Rochester area.

Now, months into the shutdown, the trash industry is seeing big changes because of the pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • Local waste companies are seeing an increase in trash

  • Commercial refuse has dropped while residential is on the rise

  • Rates are not expected to increase for customers

Joe Fusco, Vice President of Casella Waste Systems said “human behavior and shifts in human behavior show up in the waste and recycling streams, so we’ve seen some of those shifts.”

It’s something you may have noticed when taking garbage cans to the curb: Waste companies are seeing a big shift in collection from commercial to residential areas.

Steve Changaris, New York State Chapter Director of the National Waste & Recycling Association said “the number that’s firming up is that it’s about a 25% uptick in the residential volumes, and commercial activity in general is off upwards of 50%-70%.”

Locally, Suburban Disposal has seen a 30% decline in commercial and a 15% increase in residential areas.

Erik Grimm, President of Suburban Disposal said “we’re spending more time at home, we’re eating more meals at home, some of our activities at home includes house projects, cleaning, that sort of things, so there’s an increase in the generation of the residential volumes of waste and recycling.”

While both local companies are seeing an increase in residential waste, rates are not expected to increase for customers.

“Unless there’s a substantial increase in volume or there’s a need for a special pick up or roll off delivery that sort of thing, typically our rates are flat,” said Grimm.

While the numbers have shifted from big pickups at stores and restaurants, to homes and neighborhoods - there's an even bigger shift that could affect the bottom line for waste companies.
A general decrease in trash disposal, cut almost in half, according to National Waste & Recycling Association New York State Chapter.

“That happens naturally when you shrink an economy like we have done here in the Northeast, and we’ve seen a shift from one part of the economy, one part of human behavior and activity to another,” said Fusco.

Both Casella Waste and Suburban Disposal say their staff have remained the same during the pandemic despite the overall decrease in waste collection, some workers have transitioned to help with increased residential demands.