Trash, flies and discarded furniture are becoming a frustrating sight for some Long Beach neighbors who say they’ve waited days — and in some cases weeks — for the city to collect garbage and bulky items.
“I want to say at least two to three weeks,” said Ivan, a Long Beach resident who said he’s experienced missed pickups on several occasions.
Another resident contacted NBC Los Angeles after becoming frustrated with trash accumulating near her home. She provided photos of overflowing containers and said the last collection she remembered was Aug. 6 or 7.
When NBCLA visited the neighborhood, garbage and debris could be seen piled around containers, with flies swarming some of the waste.
Maria Garcia, who lives nearby, said regular household trash is generally collected in her neighborhood, but other waste can remain much longer.
“That’s why sometimes you get all the flies, and it becomes a mess because they don’t come,” Garcia said.
She pointed to furniture and other bulky items she said had been sitting outside for about 15 days.
NBCLA asked the city if there is a citywide collection delay and what’s causing residents to miss service.
The city’s Energy and Environmental Services Department said its Collections Bureau has 114 budgeted refuse operator positions and all of them are currently filled.
But having the positions filled doesn’t mean all 114 workers are available each day.
“The Collection Bureau has recently experienced an increase in refuse operators work related injuries coupled with higher regular daily absences due to sickness or scheduled time off,” the city said in a statement.
According to the city, the impact has been significant.
“At times this has created a 35%-40% shortage in the daily available refuse operator staffing over the past few weeks resulting in intermittent missed daily collections across the City,” the statement said.
City says five routes have recently been missed on an average day
Long Beach operates an average of 68 refuse (trash) and organic-waste collection routes each day, six days a week, according to the city.
Recently, however, the Collections Bureau said it has been averaging four missed organic routes and one missed refuse route per day.
“When a refuse or organic collection route is not completed on its regularly scheduled day, the route is prioritized the following day for collection, typically in the mornings,” the city said.
Officials said the situation has “vastly improved over the past two weeks” and is returning to previous service levels.
The city also said that despite its recent staffing problems, its missed daily collection rate remains below what it described as the industry average standard of 1%.
Residents’ experiences differ from city’s account
There is, however, a significant difference between what some residents told NBCLA and what the city says it is seeing operationally.
“The City’s Collection Bureau is not aware of any collection routes that are more than one day behind,” the city said.
Some neighbors told NBCLA they’ve experienced longer waits.
Garcia said bulky items near her neighborhood had been sitting for roughly 15 days. Ivan recalled collection problems lasting two to three weeks, although he could not remember exactly when those delays occurred.
The resident who initially contacted NBCLA also said garbage had remained uncollected well beyond a day.
When NBCLA returned to that neighborhood Thursday, city refuse crews could be seen collecting trash in the area.
Long Beach hiring additional refuse operators
The city says it’s taking steps to address the staffing shortage even though all of its currently budgeted refuse operator positions are filled.
“To manage the recent refuse operator workforce shortage, the Collections Bureau recently completed a recruitment for part-time refuse operators and is also currently recruiting for permanent, unbudgeted refuse operator positions,” the city said.
Officials expect the problems to ease soon.
“Normal service levels are expected to resume before the end of August 2026,” according to the city.
Residents who don’t receive a scheduled pickup are being asked to leave their bins out for collection the following day.
Missed collections can be reported online after 6 p.m. on the scheduled service day through the city’s “Report a Problem” form or by calling the Refuse Hotline at 562-570-2876.
“All reports or calls are typically scheduled for service no later than the following day that they are received,” the city said.