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NORWALK, Conn. – There's a "sense of urgency" at City Carting's Norwalk transfer station now, according to owner Michael Ferro. That's in response to recent complaints and objections from council members and others.
Ferro made the comment at a midday news briefing called by Mayor Richard Moccia and Council President Carvin Hilliard, R-District B, at City Carting's Meadow Street facility. Moccia said he wanted to correct statements that were made before City Carting won a 10-year contract to pick up Norwalk's garbage.
Moccia emphasized that the Meadow Street facility will not receive additional garbage because of the new contract. He and other officials have been meeting with the company to discuss the complaints. The final step in the process, he said, was to have a news conference to "let City Carting make the presentation of some of the changes they want to make to correct some of the problems" and address the concerns of council members.
After listing the techniques City Carting takes to prevent odors, Ferro said, "I have to be honest with you, those measures were in place before the complaints came. I don't know if there's anything else we can do. ... I should back up just a little bit. We have more sense of urgency now if a load comes in and it smells."
The company keeps a trailer inside the bay, where smelly loads are put "right away," covered and taken away, he said. The company started hearing complaints about the smell "just recently," he said. Now, when a smelly load comes in, "it may not sit there for five minutes or 15 minutes before it gets in the trailer."
Also, for about the past two weeks, loaded trailers have not been left on the property, although the company is allowed to leave them outside for 48 hours per state regulations.
Standard procedures include a deodorizing system that runs on a timer, "24/7," he said. Supermarket garbage, which can be smelly because it sits in a trailer for up to two weeks, is diverted to Bridgeport, although that costs the company money.
"I don't mean to be facetious about this – it is a trash dump," Moccia said. "It is garbage coming in, and unless somebody can figure out a way to deodorize it out of the containers there's not much we can do on a 100-degree day. I think they've taken as many measures as possible to react to some of the concerns of some of the councilmen."
Comments (4)
Is it too late to do something ?
Anyone driving by slowly, in a car with all the windows closed, yesterday (Sunday, August 26) was, well aware of a terrible odor problem. It was not a super hot day with no air moving, either. Did somebody not get the message about keeping loaded garbage trailers locked up inside the building with a deodorant system working ?
It is a shame to find out the nice promises made for the company at the mayor's press conference, only a few weeks ago, meant nothing.
All the council people, from both parties, should visit Meadow street, on a Sunday afternoon BEFORE any more contracts with City Carting are approved. Is it too late ?
DEEP put out a public notice recently about remediation of certain properties on Meadow St. The addresses sound like City Carting properties. That doesn't necessarily mean the cleanup/remediation is for contamination caused by the present owners, but it means something is now going to be done and the present owners will bear the expense.
Those "no through trucks" ordinances are generally NOT enforceable in any community that has ever accepted federal funds for roads building, and the truckers know it. A particular road can be posted, and enforced, if there is a legitimate reason, such as a bridge that can't handle the weight, but ordinances that seek to keep trucks off roads like So. Main are useless.
so as the crowd stood on test well caps the mayor as tho he was stung by a bee it was interesting to see his reaction to any negative questions.
Trucks coming off of 95 was an issue the Mayor didn't respond well to why they don't use the truck route instead of South Main st,he seemed uninterested in asking the police dept enforce any laws on over a 100 trucks if needed that come in to the station each day .In fact when logic was applied and city carting agreed that they might in fact come off 95 directly to the transfer staion it was dismissed as hear say.In this case it seemed City Carting was honest to agree possiblities exist was no bitterness by City Carting.
It was intersting to hear the Norwalk board of health was not cooperating as much with city cartings suggestions,
City carting did mention a lot of trucks in the area suggesting Grasso was stockpiling dirt out back odd how the same Grasso truck went by the crowd four or five times empty as if they were test driving the big truck.This was a sad display of showing truck traffic it had the same plate it wasn't many trucks what odd way of proving a point to the press.It was insulting.
Now why wasn't the fire dept there to answer if they had any problems with a million pounds of rubbish stored inside the transfer station over the weekend?There was poor water pressure in that area for years and so far nothing has been done to correct that.
Hal and his girls were there thinking they could answer some questions as if they needed to defend city carting procedures shame they knew very little on the answers making some think boy we are in trouble.
have to wonder if half the press was told Cresent st and not meadow st makes you wonder if anyone was wanted there at all.Some came late and why was Tad there? It was the most pathetic show of city politicians and hired help for what reason?
Traffic studies came up only when asked three times were some answers more in line to the questions and to think when City carting admitted they have no control over leaking trash blowing loads until they get to the scale the Mayor not once thought of offering some protection to those who have it going thru the city.
This was obviously a pony show for what? Stains in the street shows some leakage when trucks sit there next to storm drains,maybe industry standard controlling pollution has been ignored.
Thinks its time to ask Carvin when he is going to work for the people of South Norwalk and stop passing 150,000 dollars checks to the golf course.South Norwalk needs leadership next election is not soon enough.
Why wasn't the shellfish people there,always thought Village creek was important to the undustry and I don't mean the trash and junk car people.
This was sad why was it kept from the people effected?Where was the notice next to the legal notices in The Hour?
That is comforting to know that they admit they have already been doing everything they can and it didn't always work. The worst has been the loaded trailers left outside over a long hot weekend. If they have now stopped doing that, even if the permit allows it, that should be a big help. Now, if they start using tight solid waterproof covers on the trailers they leave overnight, the worst of the odor problem may really be solved. We'll soon see. It sounds, as intended, as if they are making an effort.
A press conference called by the mayor at first sounds a bit much, but bringing public focus on the problem may turn out to be just what was needed all along. It makes a lot more sense than the folks driving by denying there is an odor problem. The mayor talking about concerns of some councilmen forgets those councilmen are elected to represent the people who put them there and are voicing voter complaints, not personal complaints.
Michael Ferro, pictured, and identified in this story as the owner, is NOT the owner of record of City Carting. His son, Michael Ferro Jr., is one of the principals in the corporation and has been introduced at council meetings as an owner.