“Extreme Staffing Shortages” Causes Trash Pile Up In Maryland  

President Biden’s socialist policy of having the government match or even surpass what private firms are paying has resulted in labor shortages countrywide. Shortages are rippling through every low-skill/low-paying job as people don’t want to work anymore. The problems are becoming so severe in one Maryland county that essential services, such as solid waste collection, are being affected. 

Baltimore County, the third-most populous county in the state and borderlines Baltimore City, employs dozens of private companies to pick up residential trash. At least one company is experiencing a severe labor shortage of either CDL drivers or trash throwers, according to local news Fox45. This has resulted in trash, recycling, and yard material collection delays, and in some neighborhoods, garbage is piling up. 

“We went to the hauler and asked what the situation is,” Michael Beichler, bureau chief of Baltimore County’s solid waste management department, said. “He’s having a rather common issue at this time. Lack of staffing … From unemployment compensation to people just who don’t want to do the work anymore.”

The situation is so dire that some trash trucks are being operated by just one person, instead of two or three: 

“I’ve seen drivers out there that are stopping, getting out of their truck, dumping the trash in the back, and then getting back in and driving,” Beichler said. “Those are the heroes. They’re working without their labor force.”

At least one of the 36 private trash firms that pick up trash in the county is experiencing severe labor shortages, and that number is likely to rise. 

‼️ UPDATE FROM THE BALTIMORE COUNTY BUREAU OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT:

Some trash, recycling and yard material collections in the #Catonsville area are running behind due to an extreme staffing shortage. The hauler is working hard to pick up materials when and where possible.

— Baltimore County (@BaltCoGov) July 21, 2021

What this means for county residents is that trash on specific routes will sit on the curb longer and could be susceptible to animals digging through or homeless searching for valuables. 

The labor shortage is no longer affecting just the private sector but now essential services. 

At the moment, there are approximately 9 million US job openings as Biden checks dish out generous benefits that disincentivize people from working. 

What could worsen the labor shortage is another “emergency” stimulus round of a trillion or two in stimmies as economic activity has peaked.