CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Solid Waste Management workers caught crushing recycling bins in Montrose community

Jul 09, 2023

Re'Chelle Turner, Reporter, Houston

HOUSTON – Workers from the City of Houston’s Waste Management Department were caught on camera throwing recycling bins in the garbage compactor and crushing them before driving away.

“I was just shocked. I mean, why would you do that?” Dominique Wilequet said.

The incident happened Monday on Michigan Street in the Montrose area.

KPRC 2’s Re’Chelle Turner reached out to the City of Houston and just before 5 p.m., workers from the city arrived and replaced some of the bins.

“Everybody knows everybody. It’s a small street and we all kind of keep an eye on each other,” Wilequet said.

On Monday, Wilequet picked up her recycling bin and her neighbor’s, who is out of town.

“I went to grab his recycle bin and one was gone. So, things happen. I thought I’d wait a day or two to see if any other neighbors would circle one back, but nothing happened,” she said.

Wilequet checked in with her neighbor, whose ring camera captured something residents couldn’t believe.

“He picks up my barrel and he throws my barrel in the dumpster. That is unacceptable,” one homeowner said.

“I couldn’t believe it and the cruncher or however that goes… you can just see the wheels coming off out of the truck and I just couldn’t believe it,” Wilequet said.

A different camera angle shows two recycling bins across the street. The waste management truck pulls up and after a few seconds, the bins are gone. Wilequet said her bin was damaged and two others were crushed.

She wants to know why the city worker threw away her recycling bin.

“I don’t think it’s an accident. He opens it up and looks inside and if it was just too heavy and he didn’t want to do it, just skip it but throwing it out is unacceptable,” she said.

I showed the video to Lori who was walking her dog named Georgie.

“Why? Why would you do that? You are paid to do a job and yeah it’s hot and it’s whatever, but why would you do that?” she said.

Lori said this isn’t the first time the community has had trash problems with the Waste Management Department.

“You know, they will dump the trash can and half the trash falls out and they drive off. So many times, you come home, and your trash can is maybe sitting upright, maybe tipped over and you often have to pick up your own trash out of the street,” she said.

Around 4 p.m., workers from the city showed up and replaced one of the bins. Then, right before 5, a second crew showed up and replaced Wilequet’s bin.

“This is great. This is amazing. This is awesome. I really appreciate this,” she said.

Although crews replaced the bins, the Waste Management Department has not responded to our email about why something like this may have happened.

Turner reached out to councilmember Abbie Kamin, who offered to help the residents get new replacement bins.

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