Houston’s City Council has approved a $1.9 million contract to hire one of the city’s disaster debris contractors to help the Solid Waste Management Department collect junk waste and clear illegal dump sites.

According to the Houston Chronicle, in January, amid a backlog that left residents’ bins at the curb past their scheduled collection days, councilmembers agreed to rent trucks and hire a private company to handle some of the city’s recycling collection. “In addition to boosting the collection of disposed furniture, appliances and other junk waste, the contract also was promoted as an effort to help the city curb its mosquito breeding problem, which typically ranks among the worst in the country,” the report notes.

Houston Chronicle has more information:

Houston will hire one of its disaster debris contractors to help the Solid Waste Management Department collect junk waste and clear illegal dump sites under a $1.9 million contract approved by city council Wednesday.

The move marks the latest stopgap trash collection measure implemented by the Turner administration as the city awaits the delivery of 90 new garbage and recycling trucks, which have been ordered to replace part of the Solid Waste Management Department’s aging fleet.

Read the full article here.