Less trash reflects economic downturn

ST. GEORGE, Utah -- The economic downturn has even reached the trash on the curb, and that's hurting some sanitation workers.

Washington County is producing less trash, in part because consumption is down, and in part because homes and apartments are empty, officials at Allied Waste Services said.

The company's trash truck drivers are paid per home and by the weight of the trash they collect. Residential trash tonnage is down by 10 to 15 percent, reducing driver pay by $25 to $50 a week, said Allied Waste Services St. George division Operations Manager Andy Tanner.

The amount of curbside trash is a leading indicator of the economy, said Allied's local general manager Jason Godfrey.

"Consumption curtails and we have really seen a change as the economy has darkened," Godfrey said.