Jackson, Mississippi Struggles with Trash Collection Crisis

Contract negotiations between the mayor and City Council of Jackson, Mississippi failed, resulting in the sudden end of trash collection services. This has left residents scrambling to figure out what to do with their garbage, with some dumping it in front yards of vacant homes or at gas stations. The contract dispute has been brewing for two years, and the council failed to ratify a proposal to award a new, six-year $54 million contract to Richard’s Disposal, a New Orleans-based company that has been collecting trash for the past year. The breakdown in public services has the potential to hit Jackson’s most vulnerable residents the hardest, including those living in poverty and those with limited access to transportation.