Brighton Heights Mom Dumps Her Own Trash In Garbage Truck As Pittsburgh Refuse Workers Stand By
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A Brighton Heights mom said she never thought she'd have to dump her own trash in a garbage truck, but that's what surveillance video shows as two refuse workers stand by watching. That mom said those refuse workers didn't dump all the trash because it was too heavy.
Every Wednesday morning is trash pickup on Wilksboro Avenue in Brighton Heights. The Searight's surveillance camera shows a city of Pittsburgh refuse worker bring an empty garbage can back to the curb, then moves on to the neighbor's trash next door.
Then, you hear a refuse worker saying it's too heavy.
"You guys care if I put them in? This is the second week you haven't taken them," the woman says.
Refuse Worker: "Say that again?"
Woman: "Can I dump them in then?"
Refuse Worker: "Sure."
After that, you can see her walk off the porch and place her baby in the grass, who starts crying. Then, she drags one can over to the garbage truck, dumps it in, then grabs a second can and does the same. Both workers stand by watching.
Brian Searight said this is the second week in a row one of their trash cans was left at the curb without being dumped.
"It was the same people we had last week," said Searight.
He said he is glad his wife took matters into her own hands.
"If you look at it, it's clearly not that heavy. If my wife can lift it into the garbage truck herself -- she made it look pretty easy," said Searight.
Searight said kitchen garbage was mostly in the two cans that weren't dumped and there were also some dirty baby diapers. Some other people on Facebook claim similar things happened to them, including one woman from Brookline who said she ran into the same situation as the Searights only to be told no when she asked if she could dump the can into the truck herself.
The Searights said they just want answers.
"We just haven't gotten an answer. We were within regulations so it should have been taken," said Searight. "This can is completely in limits for the city. It has a sealed lid on top. It's 35 gallons."
The city's website asks residents to place garbage in a container with a tight-fitting lid and asks that it doesn't exceed 35 gallons in capacity. It doesn't say anywhere how heavy the can should be.
KDKA's Amy Wadas reached out to the city for answers. All we were told is the Department of Public Works is investigating.
Meantime, Councilman Bobby Wilson said he's concerned by what he saw in the video. He went on to say he expects the best from city employees and is confident Public Works will complete a thorough investigation.
