St. Paul to take over Eureka Recycling customer service after poor performance, council member says

A new contract with Eureka Recycling will see the city of St. Paul take over the company’s customer service after the company failed to respond to customer complaints, according to an announcement from a St. Paul city council member.

In a newsletter, St. Paul’s Ward 7 City Councilmember Jane Prince said that the city has heard from more than 100 households within a week complaining about missed pick-ups and ignored calls.

In response to the shortcomings, a new contract starting on May 1, 2023, will have St. Paul take over Eureka Recycling’s customer service in order to help with response time and contract management, according to Councilmember Prince.

St. Paul customers who experience problems with recycling service can submit issues to the city directly.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to Eureka Recycling but has not yet received a response.

The entire statement from City Council Member Jane Prince can be seen below:

I regret that many of my constituents have reported dozens of missed pick-ups by the city’s contract recycling collection provider, Eureka Recycling. Citywide, we heard from over 100 households last week alone. Unfortunately, Eureka – currently contracted to respond to customer complaints – is failing to return calls and often, if they do respond, are failing to show up for rescheduled pick-ups. Inviting residents to leave out extra paper bags of recycling is a poor way to manage refuse in our alleys and on our roadways. 

Under a new contract with Eureka, starting May 1, 2023, the city will be taking over customer service, which should help with response time, and with contract management (as we’re better able to assess Eureka’s performance). In the meantime, because of the poor service by Eureka, customers can report problems with recycling service directly to the city.

It is disappointing to see “a community-based, nonprofit social enterprise,” as Eureka describes itself – one which the city helped to launch in the 1980s – move away from the good work for which it has been known. Serving the great diversity of Saint Paul’s neighborhoods with reliable service should be among its highest values.