GREENSBORO, N.C. — Charles Able lives down a one-lane road in on the outskirts of Greensboro. The ranch-style house sits on about an acre of land and is fully stocked with wildlife.
“It’s like we live in a Disney movie, we have deer that come out, groundhogs and geese,” Able said.
Able and his wife have lived in the home for almost 20 years. At one point they split time between here and Florida but are now here full-time.
“I enjoy the solitude,” Able said. “It’s very peaceful.”
That peace was quite interrupted when Able started having issues with his garbage and recycling collection. Able told News 2 that the company that services the area was missing his house every few weeks.
“I had to call them and let them know they didn’t pick up,” Able said.
He would eventually speak with a supervisor in the corporate office who told him his house was on a list to have service halted. Able had already loaded his garbage and recycling cans in his truck several times to take them to the nearest transfer station and did not want this to become a permanent situation.
“They did indicate that a boundary at our address was on a list (for service) to be terminated,” Able said.
Not long after that conversation Able reached out to News 2. Our Call for Action Team spoke with Able and contacted the sanitation company.
The issue seemed to center around the small single-lane road that leads from the main street to Abel’s house. The giant garbage trucks can’t turn around, so drivers are forced to back up about a quarter mile after picking up their garbage.
The company told News 2 and Able that it was a safety issue, and they didn’t want to take a chance that someone could be injured, or their property damaged.
“We (have) had service for 17 years and now (it is) being pulled for safety and nothing has changed,” Able said.
Our team spoke with a representative of the company to better understand the issue and what could be done so that service could continue.
It didn’t take long before an alternative option was agreed upon by both Able and the sanitation company. Instead of rolling his garbage cans to the front of his house he now takes them across the grass in the backyard and places them on the street behind his home.
The road has access in and out of the neighborhood without having drivers back up to exit.
“I believe we may not have service and possibly some of our neighbors would not have service if not for News 2 getting involved,” Able said.
The compromise is not perfectly ideal for Able, especially after a good rain when the grass is wet and sloppy but it’s better than loading up his garbage cans and hauling them himself.
“That wasn’t any fun,” Able said. “Thank you, thank you for your help.”