How is Fort Liberty is handling its trash issues? Here's the latest.

Rachael Riley, Fayetteville Observer
·3 min read

FORT LIBERTY — Fort Liberty leaders continue to address trash that started to build up on post after a contractor had “unexpected equipment issues" earlier this year.

In a March 5 statement, officials said two contract companies were picking up Fort Liberty’s waste, and a third company is expected to help this week.

Using multiple companies has allowed officials to make progress on getting the trash accumulation picked up and hauled away, officials said.

“We ask for patience as we continue to address the trash accumulation issue,” Col. John Wilcox, Fort Liberty's garrison commander, said in the March 5 statement. “Taking care of our people is our priority, and we take our obligation to provide and maintain safe, clean facilities seriously.”

Fort Liberty’s contracting office and Directorate of Public Works are in the process of hiring a permanent contractor to handle the installation’s trash, officials said.

The permanent contract is expected to be awarded Aug. 25.

Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Seymour, far left, pitches in to help remove trash from dumpsters in late February, after trash started to pile around the dumpsters earlier this year.
Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Seymour, far left, pitches in to help remove trash from dumpsters in late February, after trash started to pile around the dumpsters earlier this year.

Where trash pick up is being prioritized

Officials said one contractor is currently focusing on dumpsters at child development centers, dining facilities and medical facilities on post, which were expected to “be fully caught up,” by the end of this week.

Another contractor is focusing on all other dumpsters on post, officials said.

A Directorate of Public Works surveillance team is targeting barracks and administration facilities to identify areas with trash filling up quicker, officials said.

DPS vehicles are also emptying roll-off containers that were placed on the installation in February, as they fill up, and those containers are being placed in “high traffic areas as needed,” officials said.

“DPW sends out a surveillance team to inspect the status of dumpsters daily. Based on manpower and time available, the team is able to check about half of the dumpsters on the installation daily,” officials said. “The team identifies areas that are filling up and communicates that information to the corresponding contract company.”

In a Feb. 23 Facebook post, officials said that out of 682 dumpsters surveyed by DPW workers, 243 were full.

According to contract solicitation documents, Fort Liberty averages more than 27,000 tons of trash annually.

Roll off dumpsters are placed near full dumpsters on Fort Liberty in late February, while officials work to reduce overflowing trash issues across post.
Roll off dumpsters are placed near full dumpsters on Fort Liberty in late February, while officials work to reduce overflowing trash issues across post.

What officials are communicating to soldiers

Despite Instagram page fancy_fancy_bear posting purported messages from noncommissioned officers asking soldiers who lived in the barracks to help clear out dumpsters last month, officials said the command has not directed soldiers, barracks personnel or civilian employees to clear out dumpsters or roll-off containers.

“We are aware that some soldiers are taking it upon themselves to police up their own areas and are picking trash up off the ground around dumpsters,” officials said.

Officials said that garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Seymour “has been instrumental in building enthusiasm for pitching in as he is out there every day,” and has seen volunteers come out to support the clean-up efforts.

Officials said Seymour and DPW are working every day to survey dumpster locations, identify problem areas and tell contract companies where the problem areas are.

Fort Liberty leaders say trash pileup on post 'unacceptable.' What's being done about it?

How soldiers can help

During a Feb. 21 Fort Liberty Community Action Council meeting, Seymour said he had been out every day and on weekends to pick up trash.

Seymour asked soldiers to help out by not parking in front of dumpsters after a car parked in front of a dumpster several weeks ago prevented the dump truck from having access, he said.

Seymour also asked service members to coordinate with the installation’s housing provider, Corvias, if they have large household items for pickup.

Soldiers also shouldn’t be disposing of military items improperly, he said.

Officials said batteries and vehicle parts should not be thrown in dumpsters, and there are processes for handling recyclable items.

During the Feb. 21 meeting, Wilcox said leaders will stay on top of the trash issue until it gets“ to a sustainable level.”

“We will not stop until we get it to a level that’s maintainable ...We owe the installation better,” he said.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: What's the latest on Fort Liberty's trash issues?