City of Houston behind on junk pick-up after Hurricane Harvey

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Junk, debris and trash line some of the neighborhood streets in the Spring Branch area.

The homes were not flooded by Harvey, but instead of getting rid of their heavy trash on collection day, nothing was picked up.

"I'm frustrated," said Connie Ziegler.

"It's disgusting," added neighbor Gayle Clark.

There are a lot of ways to describe the look and feel of boxes, couches, mattresses and even a pink toilet lining the street.

For some, it's even called a health hazard.

"Mosquitoes gather, and who knows what else," said Marita Calaway. "And it's the whole neighborhood, it's not just one street."

Calaway told ABC13 their junk pick-up day was supposed to be nearly a week ago.

"In fact my husband called Friday morning. He called the city because he wasn't sure that they were going to pick it up and they told them yes that was the day," she said. "So my husband and my son went and pulled everything out real quick."

But the city never showed.

Houston's Solid Waste Management Department admits they are behind in Spring Branch and across the city.

April was their first month back picking up heavy debris, since Harvey hit.

Director Harry Hayes says they've had a 40 percent increase of junk on those routine routes, which is slowing their process.

Right now, he said crews are already working six days a week.

They are asking anyone who still has junk that needs to be picked up to take it to one of six local depository sites.

You can find them here.

They are open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and accept yard debris, large junk and recyclables.