An ‘Uber for garbage’ picks up steam, and $11.7M in Series A funding

Re:An ‘Uber for garbage’ picks up steam, and $11.7M in Serie... by ryandrake on Thursday July 06, 2017 @06:19PM (#14714419)

Same here. My municipal trash service is awful, and they increase the price every year without making the service better, probably because f-you. They could seriously use some competition.

1. Motor oil, electronics, toxic waste: They say you can't throw them away with the garbage but your only other alternative is to take time out of your weekday to drive that stuff to some government center somewhere (during business hours--I suppose you're not supposed to have a job).

2. Large items that can't fit in the trash can: There are apparently several special times a year when these things will be picked up, but only when several planets align and it's a weekday. You need to place it exactly on the right spot next to the curb, it needs to fit into a certain dimension and be under a certain weight or they'll leave it there and you need to wait for the next blue moon to come along in order to dispose it.

3. Anything else you need to get rid of that doesn't align with the garbage company's tight requirements: $50-100 trip to the dump.

I've had the best luck by just putting stuff in my front lawn with a big red "FREE" sign on it. People will scavenge ANYTHING. I've gotten rid of piles of dirt this way.

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Re:An ‘Uber for garbage’ picks up steam, and $11.7M in Serie... by beambot on Thursday July 06, 2017 @06:31PM (#14714503)

> they increase the price every year without making the service better

Inflation?

EDIT: Not sure I understand the downvotes. The cost of milk goes up every year too, and it doesn't get any better. Between inflation and unsustainable municipal expenditures (e.g. pension plans), it's not surprising that trash service follows the same MO.

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Re:An ‘Uber for garbage’ picks up steam, and $11.7M in Serie... by zo1 on Friday July 07, 2017 @01:09AM (#14716226)

Maybe the person meant: "increase the price more than the inflation rate". At least, that's how I'd read such a comment.

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Re:An ‘Uber for garbage’ picks up steam, and $11.7M in Serie... by varjag on Friday July 07, 2017 @07:24AM (#14717575)

Maybe, although few people really think of that when complaining about rising prices.

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Re:An ‘Uber for garbage’ picks up steam, and $11.7M in Serie... by VHRanger on Friday July 07, 2017 @01:11AM (#14716234)

Depends on the municipal government. Some municipal governments are truly corrupt and inefficient, so there might be rent seeking and increases in all sorts of costs.

Because it doesn't happen where you live doesn't mean it doesn't happen where he lives.

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Re:An ‘Uber for garbage’ picks up steam, and $11.7M in Serie... by ensignavenger on Thursday July 06, 2017 @10:48PM (#14715663)

As for Motor Oil, most auto parts stores will take it, also, many mechanics will.

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Re:An ‘Uber for garbage’ picks up steam, and $11.7M in Serie... by qwepoiru on Friday July 07, 2017 @03:50AM (#14716803)

> 1. Motor oil, electronics, toxic waste: They say you can't throw them away with the garbage but your only other alternative is to take time out of your weekday to drive that stuff to some government center somewhere (during business hours--I suppose you're not supposed to have a job).

or you could reduce your use of those items.

I do and I don't like to pay your toxic garbage and used batteries garbage collection for you.

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